Oak tree issues - Ask Extension
Hi! My husband and I recently moved across town and our front yard has what we think is an oak tree, and based on how it looks, it doesn’t seem
to ...
Knowledgebase
Oak tree issues #876498
Asked July 09, 2024, 12:08 PM EDT
Hi! My husband and I recently moved across town and our front yard has what we think is an oak tree, and based on how it looks, it doesn’t seem
to be doing too well… see images below. When I tried googling this, a plethora of potential problems came up, some of which were contradictory (too much water, not enough water, a fungus, not a fungus, etc). We want to ensure the tree lives and that we are taking care of it… any advice would be lovely! Thanks!
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Monique,
This is oak leaf blister, which is caused by a fungus. Infection occurs in the spring during periods of wet weather. It wasn't necessarily wet this spring, but it rained and many diseases were able to capitalize on infection.
At this point, there isn't anything you can do. Infection has already occurred and the leaves will continue to look like this for the rest of summer. Fortunately, it's an aesthetic issue and should not affect the overall health of the tree. It also doesn't generally warrant the use of preventative fungicides.
The leaves may shed earlier this fall, and as they drop, rake them up and throw them in the trash. This may help break the inoculation cycle in spring.
Here's some additional information from Utah State: https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_orn/list-treeshrubs/oak-leaf-blister
This is oak leaf blister, which is caused by a fungus. Infection occurs in the spring during periods of wet weather. It wasn't necessarily wet this spring, but it rained and many diseases were able to capitalize on infection.
At this point, there isn't anything you can do. Infection has already occurred and the leaves will continue to look like this for the rest of summer. Fortunately, it's an aesthetic issue and should not affect the overall health of the tree. It also doesn't generally warrant the use of preventative fungicides.
The leaves may shed earlier this fall, and as they drop, rake them up and throw them in the trash. This may help break the inoculation cycle in spring.
Here's some additional information from Utah State: https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_orn/list-treeshrubs/oak-leaf-blister
