Oak wilt is a serious problem in Austin. If not managed properly, the oak wilt fungus can wipe out an entire neighborhood’s population of oak trees in a few years. Our ancient native oaks are a living link to our past and every effort should be made to salvage them. So, what do you need to know? And, how should oak wilt be managed?
This first thing you need to know is that there is an enormous amount of mystery that surrounds oak wilt. Many of our questions do not have answers. Oak wilt is very difficult to diagnose, its rate of spread is highly variable and oak wilt treatments are inconsistently effective. There are a few symptoms associated with the fungus, but you need to understand that symptom and diagnosis do not have the same meaning. There are other tree disorders that cause the same symptoms as oak wilt. The best way to identify oak wilt is by identifying a pattern of spread. We know that it 
areas where the forest composition and weather are different.
If you suspect you might have oak wilt on or near your property you’ll need to know the best way to manage it. The two most important aspects of a good management plan are the two most often overlooked aspects. You need a good diagnostic process and you need regular follow up inspections. A good diagnostic process is a series of property inspections, since a pattern of spread is the best way to identify oak wilt. We’ve already discussed that leaf symptoms are not diagnostic, and laboratory isolation tests are usually inconclusive. You should spend at least one full year with 3 or more inspection visits prior to engaging any treatments because treatments mask the visual symptoms of oak wilt and make identifying the pattern of spread impossible. Even after treatments, the follow up inspections are equally important to ensure the management plan is working. I recommend a tree health care program in conjunction with the follow up inspections to help reduce the likelihood of other problems showing up. If you are able to reasonably diagnose (through pattern of spread) that you do have oak wilt, the two treatments available are trenching to break underground root connections and injections with fungicides.
There are many, many more details that are critically important to managing oak wilt in the Austin, Texas area. This article is intended serve as an introduction to oak wilt. Click on the oak wilt category in the sidebar for more articles about oak wilt.
Keith, I am pretty sure that one of my oaks has wilt. I have a number of other oaks really close to the suspect tree including a Live Oak with a 2 ft diameter trunk. I would like to know if my suspicions are correct and what can I do to protect my other trees. I would like to set up an appointment.
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It looks like leaf-miner damage. These are insects that hollow out the inside of the leaves and leave the vein skeleton behind. Not really a bid deal. The pictures of the tree look healthy.
If you suspect you have oak wilt, you can call Chris Dolan, the City of Austin’s Oak Wilt Program arborist. He will come out FOR FREE and let you know if you are at risk, etc.: 512- 974-1881
Keith,
I am worried that my Mexican White Oak might be dying. I live in south Texas(The Rio Grande Valley). I purchased a 15-gal, approx. 10 ft tall Mexican White Oak tree from Home Depot back in March/2011 – It had an orange tag on it that stated that it came from a nursery in Ben Wheeler, TX. I planted it on 3/19/11. In reference to planting it, I followed the instructions from a local nursery. I began watering it according to the instructions I found on this website, in the article titled, “How to Water a Newly Planted Tree” (posted May 3, 2010).
Throughout the rest of the month of March – towards mid-may, my tree looked good. I mean the leaves remained green and big (about 2-3 inches long). Sometime towards the end of May and to this day, the tips on the leaves of my Mexican White Oak began and are turning brown – they have not shrunk, nor have they fallen off. Side note, also sometime in May, I applied a 1 inch layer of mulch.
Another thing I did was get my hands on some humic acid and applied it to the tree throughout this time period (apr-june). I applied the humic acid 3 times so far, once in April, May, and June. Each time I applied 2 oz of humic acid with 15 gallons of water. I would take a 5 gallon bucket, put 1 oz of humic acid and then filled it with 5 gals of H2O, repeat the process and finally a 5 gal bucket with only H2O. I also applied Superthirve once – May – the same day that i applied the humic acid. For the Superthrive, I took one ounce and mixed it with 5 gals of water.
Recently, as in 7/18/11, 2 days ago, I examined my tree. The leaves are still brown at the tips, but have not shrunk. The bark of the tree is still green – I know this, because I scratched it at the base and it was green. I dug up the mulch with my hands until I reached the soil that surrounds the tree and found it to be muddy. This concerned me because I read somewhere on the internet to allow the soil around your tree to dry up before watering again. I checked on the soil again yesterday, 7/19/11 and it was less muddy – less clumpy. So I still have not watered since last Friday, 7/15/11. From what i have told you, what do you think is wrong with my tree? Why are the tips of the leaves brown?
P.S. I think I am going to get rid of the mulch around the tree and just let the grass grow around it – what do you think?
weplantedaliveoak6monsagoanditsbrownatthetop?sorrymyspacerisstuck!
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