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Dripping walnut (more pics)

Started by ohsoloco, June 19, 2012, 10:18:16 PM

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ohsoloco

I have a large black walnut tree in my yard near the house, and I'm wondering why it is dripping liquid.  A few weeks ago we were sitting under the tree eating our supper at the picnic table, and we were getting hit with clear liquid (like rain drops) on a regular basis.  I've noticed this in past years as well, but I don't know where it's coming from.  We were sitting under the outer canopy, and the drops reminded me of when the gypsy moths were bad a few years ago, but nothing appears to be eating the leaves. 

I've noticed the past few years that the tree drops a fair amount of leaves throughout the summer.  The last time I mowed the grass it was sprinkled with a fair amount of leaves...when the wind blows it's like early autumn.  Not sure if this is a walnut thing, or just this particular tree.  Any ideas  ???

beenthere

My first thoughts would be a bug either chewing on the tree or just hanging out and spitting out the drops. But beyone that, don't know as my walnuts do not do the same.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others


WDH

Many members of the Juglandaceace, which includes walnut, exude a sticky substance from the leaves.  Some hickories do, and pecan certainly does.  Have you ever parked a vehicle under a pecan tree?  I believe they have evolved to do this to retard competition.  I bet that is what is happening to you.   

Not to say that if any gets on you, you will be retarded  :D.  If you were a plant, it might be different  ;D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Full Chisel

Quote from: WDH on June 20, 2012, 07:26:38 AM
Many members of the Juglandaceace, which includes walnut, exude a sticky substance from the leaves.  Some hickories do, and pecan certainly does.   Have you ever parked a vehicle under a pecan tree? I believe they have evolved to do this to retard competition.  I bet that is what is happening to you.

Who is behind this, Chrysler or Ford?
Jed: Jethro, how's come they ain't no ice in Kali Forni-a?

Jethro: Don't look at me Uncle Jed. I didn't take it.

ohsoloco

Let's hope that is the case, WDH.  This is a treasured yard tree.  The hood of the wife's van is covered in the drops.

Ironwood

WE have about 15 or so around the yard, and yes I have noticed this at times. They are all still healthy.


Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

ohsoloco

I just snapped some pics of it this afternoon.  The dropping leaves and walnuts has me worried.  While I was poking around I saw a cluster of caterpillars munching on a cluster of leaves.  Never saw anything eat the leaves off of a walnut before. 



 



 



 



 



 



 

Ironwood

Might be a response to heat. I have never seen a catapiller on ours.
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

WDH

I am not sure what is munching down on your tree.  May be forest tent caterpillar.  The are very common pests on pecan.  You should get some liquid sevin and spray the tree the best you can with a backpack sprayer and a tall ladder.  The sap exudate may be a reaction to the caterpillars that are chowing down.

Here is some info on forest tent caterpillar.  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/ftc/tentcat.htm
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ohsoloco

These don't look like the images of forest tent caterpillar on the web.  These are mostly white, or greenish-white, with black heads.  In years past I've seen large caterpillars that remind me of these...big fuzzy white things, but I've only ever seen them one at a time, and just on the ground or the shed. 

I've been noticing some damage to my oaks as well, lots of chewed leaves.  They're obviously not gypsy moths, they went through here in '07-'09. 

ArborJake

 Those look like sawfly larva. Sawfly larva will all move at the same time if you wave your hand past them. There are all kinds of different Sawfly larva and most of the time the populations aren't large enough to really hurt the tree. Unless you have a severe infestation the leaves  might be dropping because of some sort of fungus thats damaged the leaves.
thick and thin lumber company. qaulity manufacturer of saw dust and slab wood.

ohsoloco

Would the fungus be an ongoing thing, or just a seasonal problem (in other words, would it clear up)?  I did notice an entire leaf cluster on the ground yesterday, and it was a little shriveled looking, and had a couple small white spots near the base of a few leaflets.

ArborJake

 Leaf fungus are often seasonal like,anthracnos. That is ofrten found on lots of different tree's when you have a wet spring but next year, if its dry in spring, you usually see alot less of it. Check to see that the petiole "leaf stem " isn't hollow from petiole borers.
thick and thin lumber company. qaulity manufacturer of saw dust and slab wood.

ohsoloco

I mentioned that some of my oaks (red oaks) have some damage as well.  There's a lot of eaten leaves and small, dead branches (I noticed a lot of small dead branches on the walnut as well).  Also, a lot of the leaves on the oaks are just shriveled up with no insect damage.  They're loaded with acorns.  Very strange...

ohsoloco

I was outside this afternoon and noticed a couple branches that got knocked out of the tree today (it was rather windy today).  Still, they seemed a little on the big side:


 

After looking at them closer, I noticed some pinkish growths on them:



 

I've never noticed any growths like this before (but then again I'm much more observant of this tree right now  :-\  They're on a lot of the branches, and not just the couple what came out of the tree.  I noticed them on some other walnuts around the house (some rather small ones, maybe 5-10 feet tall):



 

The large tree also has quite a few dead branches in it (around the size of the ones that came down), these would be ones that were dead at the beginning of the season.  The tree looks kinda thin in the canopy to me as well:



 

I hope I'm just being overly concerned with this tree.  What would those strange pink growths be  ???

WDH

Insect galls.  There is a critter in there.  They are harmless and do not affect the tree to any extent. 

On the small limbs that were down, did the end look like it was cut smooth and a little cone shaped?  There are several twig girdlers that sever stems, and they absolutely love hickory and pecan.  Since walnut and hickory and pecan are all in the same family, it might be a twig girdler at work.  Google "Twig Girdler".  Here is one link with some info:

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g7276
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ohsoloco

Yes, the small limbs (the larger one was maybe 3/8-1/2") are smooth and slightly concave. 

Am I being a little paranoid  ???  :D

I really want to know if this tree will be okay, because when we build the addition on our house (hopefully next year) the very end of it will be under the crown of the tree.

WDH, I just looked at your link, and I have definitely noticed more longhorn beetles on the window screens this year.  In the past I attributed the sightings to the logs I had lying around the yard (usually some old pine lying around waiting to get put on the mill), but this year I don't have any logs that are sitting around.  Also, from the explanation of how they lay their eggs, this isn't something that would be brought here on sawlogs  ???   


WDH

They are everwhere in the forest.  They are very common, and just a pest we have to deal with.  Fortunately the insects that made the galls and the twig girdlers are not deadly to the tree.  You tree will likely be fine.  Hopefully, you can enjoy some walnuts. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ohsoloco

Thanks for the information  :)  You actually answered another question that I've had for years but never asked.  I googled insect galls, and I saw some pics of oak galls.  I've seen those on oak saplings around the house for years, but never knew what they were.

shelbycharger400

worse case senario is you will have some fresh milled walnut to put in the new house

i have lots of those oak balls on leaves here.     
ever cince i have brought in a few small piles of erc, the forest tent catpiller has been low or non existant so far.     more weird is i have seen moths hanging out on the cedar..lol

dboyt

It is a tough year on anything green, here in Missouri.  The caterpillars & dropping of leaves are pretty normal.  They may reduce the tree growth somewhat, but wouldn't be fatal to the tree.  We're losing a lot of oaks, but that is partly from insects taking advantage of stressed trees, and partly from the age of the trees.  Unless you have entire branches dying, I don't think you have anything to worry about.  Here is a link to walnut anthracnose (premature loss of leaves).  Very common condition.

http://extension.psu.edu/plant-disease-factsheets/all-fact-sheets/walnut-anthracnose

Maybe it would explain my prematuare hair loss, too-- I can't be getting old!
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