Oak Wilt - Symptoms, Transmission and What to Do

Oak wilt is a serious disease that has been found to affect oak trees in 21 states across the United States. Occurrences of oak wilt are abundant in Midwestern states, but the disease has also immensely affected areas of Central Texas including the Texas Hill Country.

Though members of the red oak family are most frequently and most quickly affected by oak wilt, all types of oaks as well as some other species of trees can be host to this disease. It is caused by a fungus called Ceratocystis fagacearum.

The fungus that causes oak wilt congests the systemic system of the tree. This translates into a tree that can not absorb water and nutrients. The tree wilts, hence the name, and eventually dies. The fungus can be easily spread between trees in one of two ways.

Transmission can occur through the roots of one tree to the roots of a neighboring tree. The spread of this fungus can cause devistation and tree loss over a large area if it is not contained properly. It can also be spread by insects. They are attracted to the sweet smell of the fungus. Spores from the fungus attach themselves to the body of the insect. The spores are then transported from tree to tree, infecting other trees in the area.

Oak wilt is a serious problem, especially in Texas where trees are sometimes in short supply. Because oak wilt stops a tree from getting water, it has the ability to kill certain species of oak trees in a very short time. Some oaks can only live about a month with oak wilt while others can survive up to a year, with very few living for a few years. The spread of oak wilt can have a devastating effect on an area’s tree supply.

It is important to be able to identify oak wilt, not only to try to save the tree, but other trees in the area. Oaks with oak wilt usually show the first signs in the leaves. The leaves will turn brown from the outer edge and have a distinct line between the green and brown areas. The leaf will sometimes curl inward on the line. The green leaves will start to look dull and the tree may shed a lot of leaves, including some green leaves.

The oak wilt symptoms can look a lot like drought symptoms, so it is very important to call a professional for your oak tree services in Texas. The Texas live oak and white oak can show very little to no symptoms and yet be a dangerous host to the disease. This is because the root systems of trees in Texas are shallow and far spread. The disease is easily spread from one tree to another because the roots are frequently in contact with other trees. Furthermore, these tree species produce nodules inside of their circulatory systems as they age to conserve water for more needy sections of the tree. This can help the tree to ward off the fungus and keep it from spreading to more than one or two areas of the tree. This is why the trees in Texas usually show fewer signs of oak wilt, can live longer with oak wilt than other species, and can be dangerous hosts of oak wilt when symptoms go undetected.

Austin and the surrounding area has more oak trees and more reported cases of oak wilt than any other section of Texas. If you suspect oak wilt, it is extremely important to call an Austin tree service provider and have a professional tackle the task of containing the fungus.

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