Oak wilt is a rather aggressive tree disease that is quite prevalent in the Kansas City area, as well as in other states surrounding Missouri. This particular tree disease is one of the most serious in the United States and kills many oaks every year.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry, oak wilt was identified in 1944. It is caused by a fungal pathogen that is considered by most industry experts to be native to the eastern U.S. Oak trees are typically divided into three groups based on the shape of their leaves: read oaks, white oaks, and live oaks. White oak species are most resistant to oak wilt, but they can be killed by the disease over a time period of about one year or more. Red oaks can be killed by oak wilt rather quickly – usually mortality occurs within a matter of weeks. Live oaks, such as the Texas live oak, are moderately susceptible to oak wilt.
Symptoms of oak wilt progress a little differently through the different species of oak trees. In red oaks, oak wilt is generally identified by leaf discoloration and wilting that happens very quickly. In white oaks, the disease progresses slowly, with branches dying one at a time, however, the leaves affected tend to have a discoloration pattern that’s similar to the pattern exhibited in red oaks. The manner in which symptoms of oak wilt appear in Texas live oaks depend on several factors, such as the timing of infection and the weather conditions of the area, but these trees generally succumb to oak wilt within a period of one to six months. Thinning of the tree crown is a most obvious symptom of oak wilt in Texas live oaks.
If you think an oak tree on your property has been infected with oak wilt, it’s important to get a professional diagnosis. The experts at Cartwright Tree Care can provide you with a proper diagnosis, as well as suggest treatment options. Contact us for all of your tree care needs.
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