Swamp White Oak - WTH is that??

[ChrisWNY]

In 2008 I bought three 12' Swamp White Oaks from a Nursery and planted them late in the Spring. The Swamp White Oak on the Eastern-most side of my property always has shriveled-up foliage by late Spring, seems like it's first flush of Spring growth is attacked by something, I have no idea of the cause. I've treated all 3 Swamp White Oaks with Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub each year since '08 (everything and their mother eats these trees, it's an insect magnet, probably thanks to the fact that Swamp White Oaks are native to my area), and last year I hit them with Hort. Oil in the Spring before bud break (did the same this year). I noticed galls/gall wasps on the foliage and branches of this Oak in mid Spring just after bud break, but again treated with Hort. oil thinking it would cut down on the problem. Seems that foliage coming in now is healthy and vibrant, the tree has put on growth every year, but hasn't grown quite as much as my other two Swamp White Oaks. Here are photos...

I find myself reminded of this SNL episode every time I look at this tree...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV7Qz640OeM

 

[ChrisWNY]

Here's a photo of one of my more "healthy" Swamp White Oaks, it has grown up over 20' and doesn't have any shriveled or brown-looking foliage, it's planted about 30' away from the Eastern-most Swamp White Oak photographed in my previous post.

 

[ch woodchuck]

IPM : Reports on Plant Diseases : Oak Wilt and Its Control

 

[Loraxguy]

swamp white

It all most looks like anthracnose on the leaves. Also looking at the leaves--this only a guess-it seems like we also might be dealing with some herbicide drift? Any spraying going on in the area? Also STOP appling any pesticides if you do not know WHAT your dealing with.

 

[ChrisWNY]

It all most looks like anthracnose on the leaves. Also looking at the leaves--this only a guess-it seems like we also might be dealing with some herbicide drift? Any spraying going on in the area? Also STOP appling any pesticides if you do not know WHAT your dealing with.

Anthracnose was also something I suspected.

I have never used any herbicides anywhere on my 2 acre lot. However, you bring up a good point - there IS a farm field near that Swamp White Oak (about 10-15' away), the farmer plants it annually (he rotates corn/soybeans) and I've seen him use some sort of spray after he applies seed. Not sure if it's insecticide, herbicide, fertilizer, fungicide, or a combination of everything. I've used Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub to keep gall wasps under control, as well as other leaf-eating insects such as gypsy moths. Additionally, I used dormant/hort. oil the past couple of years just before bud break, since I used the same treatment on all 3 Swamp White Oaks, I could conclude the Bayer was a problem if the other 2 SWO's had the same issue, but they don't, they have no issues at all. The hort. expert from my Cooperative Extension office recommended the annual Bayer Advanced and hort. oil treatments, this wasn't something I cooked up on my own. If it were up to me I wouldn't treat the SWO's with anything, but the problems I've had with that Eastern-most SWO has prompted me to seek professional advice and take action.