Please help my oak!

[ilevan]

 



I have a beautiful, enormous silver oak in my backyard that I would be devestated if I ever lost.  For the past two years, the leaves have developed what you see on the photo.  It starts as a brown spot or two on a leaf and grows larger and larger until the entire leaf is brown and curled.  I asked a local nursery about it last year and they said that this is common when we have such a wet spring and that it wouldn't hurt the tree.  We've indeed had another wet spring but I just wanted to get some more opinions about the problem.  The tree just looks so sad.  I live in Colorado if that influences your answer.  Thank you so much for your time!  Please help my tree. 

[ilevan]

I don't know why I said it was a silver oak.  Really, I haven't the faintest.  Hence, my desperate plea for your help.  Thanks again.

[Jeff]

You have a species of white oak. You can tell by the rounded lobes. I'm certainly not an arborist or an expert in tree disease, but I have seen this before a few years ago in our community in white oaks. I think what you have, with the conditions described is Oak Anthracnose. If it is, and I think it is a very good chance that it is, it is considered a minor stress on the tree, and the tree should recover.

[lmgtfy]Oak Anthracnose[/lmgtfy]

[Tom]

I'm thinking that your leaf is from a Swamp White Oak.  It is not native to Colorado, but it is planted there and will survive. It makes a pretty yard tree and is sold as Quercus Bicolor.  The undersides of the leaves are light colored (perhaps silver).  The acorns are prized by wildlife.   Jeff is right about the anthracnose, I think.  It is a fungal disease that thrives in the little puddles of water left on the leaf, usually after dark when the sun can't dry it.  Notice in your picture that most of the affected area does not cross the main veins of the leaf.  That is a good indication to you that the "disease" is not systemic and just resides on the outside of the leaf. It's kind of like having a case of athletes foot, I guess.  Unless it is so severe that it defoliates the entire tree, it shouldn't be a problem.

The best thing to do is keep the leaves picked up from the ground to diminish the infection from continually reoccurring and hope that all of the infected leaves and twigs fall.

[thecfarm]

Rest at ease now, and welcome to the forum.  ;D

[ilevan]

Thank you all so very, very much!!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help!

[clww]

White Oak and fungus from being very wet. Rest easy, as others stated above. That tree will be ok! ;)

[Ax- man]

 8) 8)I am impressed with the replies to this thread, especially Tom's, considering most of you guy's are not arborists. You guy's are right on the money with your replies. I couldn't do better myself and I am an ex- certified arborist.