What is Oak Wilt?

In the photos is a house that lost all it's trees to oak wilt. On the right, You can see the stumps of trees already cut down. Oak Wilt is a deadly disease that is rapidly infecting trees in Central Texas. In the past twenty years, Austin has lost more than 10,000 oaks to this disease. Austin's Watershed Protection and Development Review Department (WPDR) has partnered with state and federal agencies, as well as neighborhood associations, to locate, treat, and prevent Oak Wilt. But home owners should also be working to protect their lovely oaks from infection.

What is Oak Wilt and which trees are affected? Oak Wilt disease is caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum, which infects the tree's vascular system. The vascular system becomes blocked by the fungus so that water cannot be adequately transported through the tree. Leaves wilt and fall prematurely, and in many cases the oak does not survive. The disease is spread by beetles that feed on the wounds of infected trees. The fungus can also travel between trees with interconnected roots. Oak Wilt spreads as wide as 75 feet per year in all directions. 

All oaks are vulnerable to oak wilt, but infection strikes some species more often than others. Red Oaks, particularly Spanish Oak, Texas Red Oak, Shumard Oak, and Blackjack Oak, are extremely susceptible and are often 'patient zero' in the spread of the fungus among a group of oak trees. In some cases, the leaves of infected Red Oaks turn red and yellow in early summer and fall from their branches prematurely, just before the tree dies. In other cases, the leaves will turn pale green, then brown, but still hang onto their branches.

Live Oaks are moderately sensitive to oak wilt infection, however they create an ideal environment for the fungus to spread from tree to tree because they tend to grow from root sprouts and form extensive interconnected root systems. Once infected, Live Oaks die quickly, one area of the tree at a time. The area around the leaf veins are often brightly colored.

White Oaks, including Post Oak, Bur Oak, Mexican White Oak, White Shin Oak, Durand Oak, Lacey Oak, and Chinkapin Oak, have a natural resistance to the fungus and rarely die from oak wilt.

How to prevent and manage Oak Wilt infections: To successfully control the spread of Oak Wilt, early identification and action are crucial. Keep an eye out for discoloration of leaves, or an unseasonable shedding of leaves. Another indicator of the disease in Red Oaks is fungal mats. These are spore-producing structures that typically appear in late summer or fall. Fungal mats appear as narrow cracks in the bark which lead to hollow areas in the wood. These areas often have a distinctive odor of fermenting fruit.

These are some actions one can take to control and prevent the spread of Oak Wilt:

• Prune oak trees only in the coldest part of the winter and hottest part of the summer.

• Diseased Red Oaks should be cut down and disposed of immediately, preferably by burning the wood.

• All pruning equipment should be sterilized after use, and all wounds, pruned areas, and fresh stumps should be treated with wound paint or latex paint to prevent insects from spreading the disease.

• If you use oak firewood, only use old, dried wood.

• When possible, install a 4 foot deep trench at least 100 feet from infected and susceptible trees to sever root connections.

• Consult a licensed arborist for preventative treatment with injections of the fungicide Propiconazole (ALAMO^®).

• When planting new trees, choose a species that is resistant to Oak Wilt and are well adapted to Central Texas.

• Contact Chris Dolan, City of Austin Oak Wilt Suppression Program, at 974-1881 for more information.

If you require professional help to suppress an Oak Wilt outbreak, Texasoakwilt.org provides many resources for Central Texas at http://www.texasoakwilt.org/Assistance/assistance.html.

Sources:

City of Austin, http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/oakwilt/

Texas Oak Wilt Information Partnership, http://www.texasoakwilt.org/

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