All of Earth’s living organisms require water to sustain healthy, habitable conditions. Trees are no exception, but when they fall victim to a disease known as oak wilt, their ability to stay hydrated is compromised. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to cure oak wilt, meaning afflicted trees will eventually die from it. However, there are ways to prevent this disease.
At Texas Tree Authority, we’re here to help homeowners understand the severity of this problem and discover what we can do to keep the trees on your property safe from it. Follow along for more information about:
We’re here to help residents of San Antonio and surrounding areas keep their plant life in prime condition. With a dedication to helping homeowners like you, you can trust us to provide the tips you need.
Oak wilt is the easier-to-spell name for a disease caused by the Bretziella fagacearum fungus. When this fungus infects a tree, it prevents the tree from being able to absorb and transport water across its systems. Without the necessary water intake, the tree will become dehydrated, and the leaves will begin to fall from it. Without water, the tree will then die.
Oak wilt can be spread from tree to tree by connected root systems. However, this disease can also be spread by sap-feeding insects. Similar to how humans can become ill from diseases entering a cut, wounds on the tree can create an opening where the insect can introduce the fungus, causing the tree to develop oak wilt.
Oak wilt is a disease that specifically impacts oak trees, though other tree types do have similar illnesses they can contract. It’s important to note that the type of oak tree you have can impact how severely your tree is affected. Primarily, you would need to look at whether your tree was classified as a red oak or a white oak.
Oak wilt has a much more severe impact on species falling into the red oak category. For these trees, there is no cure. Once your red oak tree contracts oak wilt, it will die from it. Once symptoms develop, you can expect this to happen within four to six weeks.
When a white oak tree gets infected with oak wilt, it can take years for the tree to die, as the disease moves much slower within these types of trees. There are fungicide treatments that can help your white oak trees recover from infection, but there’s no guarantee that it will work on all trees within this category. For more information specific to your tree, give our team a call.
While there’s no one way to guarantee your oak trees will be safe from the disease, you can help prevent oak wilt by taking the following steps:
At Texas Tree Authority, we’re here to help you get the most out of your oak trees. We can perform trusted health assessments to help you identify any problems — such as the presence of the disease or any wounds that could lead to future problems.
To get the full picture of what we can do for your property, speak with a member of our team!
With Texas Tree Authority on your side, you don’t have to worry about taking on any challenges by yourself — we’re here to help! Give us a call to get your tree service scheduled.
Preserve curb appeal with comprehensive stump grinding.
Schedule expert evaluations to safeguard the trees you love!
Add shade, beauty and value to your yard with new trees!
Maintain tree health with precision trimming and pruning!
Remove your worries by removing unsafe trees.