Oak Trees Dying?

[Kafinlayson]

Two years ago when the Corp of Engineers flooded MO.....the water was up on my farm for almost 7 months. I have about 15 oak trees that were either in water for a lot of it or right beside water. They are all between 20" and 30" and all now have some type of fungus growing up the sides. I have cut two of them down for wood. The first one looked fine, this one has a soft ring around on the outside. Not mushy, but noticeably softer than I think it should be. about half way up the tree, it becomes more normal.....I have posted some pics although not very good. Will this stuff burn? Worth the time to go ahead and buck and split?
Thanks for any clues as to what is causing it.....and if once this crud shows up, should I just go ahead and cut the tree before it starts getting soft? We have tons of oaks on the property and only the ones in the low lying areas have this.

 

[mopar3]

It looks rotten. Looks like its been dead more than 2 years? Hopefully somebody who knows what's causing will be along shortly.

 

[goosegunner]

Looks like Oak wilt tree after standing dead for a few years.

gg

 

[rarefish383]

I just took down a 27 inch Red Oak that has been standing dead for 5 years and it wasn't that rotted yet. Keep us posted if you find out the high water caused that, Joe.

 

[goosegunner]

I don't think it is high water. I see the same on sandy hillsides. If the bark falls off the wood stays nice and hard. For some reason the ones that bark remains tight on the fungus will rot the tree from outside in just like that.

gg

 

[zogger]

Cut it stack it burn it. If you can chunk the bark off, so much the better.

 

[066blaster]

That looks like something that was on the ground for 5 years. Usually with standing Dead oaks the bark starts to come off. the the cadmium layer the white part stays on and slowly rots away. I have never seen such a thick white layer though. What species of oak is it?

 

[Kafinlayson]

well it was only on the ground about 30 minutes before that pic. it had acorns on it two years ago as it sits tight on the edge of the field and the deer loved it. no clue on species, just an oak . i need to get much better at identifying these things. I hate to waste the time cutting them and splitting them if not worth it at all, big shame as there are several of them. Most are just getting the fungus though, this one had it about halfway up the tree.

 

[066blaster]

I would say it had everything to do with the water then.

 

[Kafinlayson]

Think they are worth cutting down and burning?

 

[066blaster]

I would cut them down as soon as you can. Before they get this bad. You can still split them and burn them. Is the upper part good at least?

 

[Kafinlayson]

I cut one and split it earlier, it had about a 2" ring of white for about the first 10 feet or so and then it was fine. it is stacked waiting for next year. I guess I will cut them all down now and salvage what I can as they are dead and just dont know it yet

 

[066blaster]

Think they are worth cutting down and burning?

Yes that whole center is good wood.

 

[066blaster]

I cut one and split it earlier, it had about a 2" ring of white for about the first 10 feet or so and then it was fine. it is stacked waiting for next year. I guess I will cut them all down now and salvage what I can as they are dead and just dont know it yet

If it's only 2 inches your fine, it's always hard to tell with pics, that's the part of the tree the water flows through and is the first part to rot. The water and humidity probably just sped up the process.

 

[Kafinlayson]

This one is about 4", 6" on one part. But I cut about 3 20" pieces off and it was 3 or 4" all the way around 6' up the tree and was getting harder. I could push my thumbnail into it on the first cut but not the 3rd one but it still looked weird.

 

[SWI Don]

The rotted stuff will either make shoulder season wood or you can split off the punky stuff and have smaller pieces of first rate wood. Burr oak (not what is in the pics) will have the sapwood rot after a few years dead if not processed and cared for. I have burned a lot of if this last winter with attached sapwood that was not prime anymore. Does the punky stuff burn as long and hot as not punky stuff? No, it seems to burn faster but it burns just fine.

I would work up anything with fungus showing on the bark like you have found and probably chunk off the worst of the rot as I spilt it and burn the punky stuff in the field if possible. (Have a wienie roast)

 

[Tree Feller]

it looks like a red oak to me? But i have never seen that big of a sap wood ring around the heart on a red oak?? may have somthing to do with the water?

 

[farmer steve]

have been seeing the same thing here in PA with the fungus on it. oak wilt as someone else mentioned. just burn it. oak wilt does affect the wood and i think that is why u r seeing the rotted outside edges.it afeects all types of oak but red oak is very susceptable.google it for some pics of the symptoms on leaves so you can check the other trees this summer.

 

[johncinco]

Probably suffocated them. Trees bring in oxygen through their roots. Cover them up with too much dirt, or in your case underwater, and they will die off quite soon.

 

[goosegunner]

Again, I see the same thing on sandy hillsides. The bad part is it will continue to spread through your woodlot.

Be careful when cutting them. I have cut them down that only had about 4" core left.

I stand the rounds on end and use the fiskars to split off the outside with just a little of the the good wood. The core is great and you can either pitch the punk or burn it outside.

The best time to cut oak wilt trees is when they first die. The bark falls off the rounds as soon as it gets wet.

gg