Sick chestnut oak

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 

 

I have been watching this chestnut oak decline for about 5 years now. I have 6 large chestnut oaks behind and beside my house and 2 of them are dying. They range from 25" dbh up. this one measured 34.

Notice the green leaves in the upper right of the shot. That's another one that is in good shape with nice dark green leaves.

I thought I found the problem when about 2 years ago I saw first one then 2 dark streaks coming out of the tree. Ah, says I, it must be rotten on the inside. 

 

So we cut it down and it wasn't rotten but it did have alot of stain in it.

 

I know the blue stain is from metal but the brown stain near the growth wood doesn't look right. After it was down for a week the stain darkened.

 

Here's the leaves, pretty sick looking.

 

I have another one on the oppisite side of the house that is looking bad too.
These trees are right next to healthy ones.

Any ideas what is killing them?
Jon

[Ron Wenrich]

I've seen that brown stain in chestnut oak in woods grown trees.  There might be shake in that portion.  Usually, its a tree in decline.  I can't tell you the exact disease you have.  It might be something akin to wet wood that you see in elm.  You'll be able to slab it off and the rest of the log will be ok.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Thanks Ron,

I plan on milling this log as soon as the weather breaks.

Jon

[bucknwfl]

Looks like oak wilt or sudden oak death. I would say oak wilt since it is a slow decline


Buck

[Ron Scott]

Yes, it looks like oak wilt. Chestnut oak is susceptible to it. Do you have other oaks nearby that are looking similar?

[LittleJohn]

Weekend_Sawyer, not sure you have a big enough truck :D

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Weekend_Sawyer, not sure you have a big enough truck :D

Ha! that's my brother's bobbed 91 military 5 ton. He's real happy to have it.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I have been reading up on oak wilt and the only thing that doesn't match up is that this tree is was not dying from the top down but more uniformly. I'll take a closer look at the other one that is still standing but soon to come down.

Jon

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Yes, it looks like oak wilt. Chestnut oak is susceptible to it. Do you have other oaks nearby that are looking similar?

Ron I have 6 chestnut oaks and there is one other that is looking bad. I'll look closer at it tonight.

[Ron Scott]

Any others in the area, any dead ones?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

We have mostly red oaks and I haven't noticed any decline in them.

Here's a picture of 2 chestnut oaks. This one does look like it's dying from the top down.

 

I am only curious about this. I do not plan on trying to eradicate the disease because we are probably going to sell this property to a developer in the next few years and they will clear cut the property and build townhouses. This is happening all around us and It's time for us to get out of the way of progress.

Jon

[DelawhereJoe]

I'd move out of Maryland too...to much taxes...don't waste your time with delaware either, go somewhere you can find some wild areas.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I'm heading for Wild Wonderful West Virginia. My plan is to retire in 2020 and move onto my tree farm up there. We broke ground this spring. 8) 8) 8)

Jon

[mesquite buckeye]

Have any herbicides been used in the area?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

None. The first tree that I noticed that looked like this is easaly 100 yards from the furthest tree affected. But they are all along my driveway so maybe I'm spreading it that way or from the lawnmower.