Ask the Experts, Sustainability How to Identify Oak Wilt on Your Property May 16, 2019 Do you have Oak trees on your property? If your answer is yes, then it’s important that you learn more about Oak Wilt and the effects it could have on the health and longevity of your trees. Oak Wilt is a highly contagious fungal disease that infects and destroys the water-conducting system of Oak trees leading to the death of these trees in some instances. Our staff of certified arborists is dedicated to properly identifying, analyzing and treating Oak trees plagued by this fungal disease. They have shared the top tips and facts that you need to know about this harmful tree disease below… Why is this disease so dangerous? Oak Wilt, if left untreated, will most certainly lead to the death of these valuable outdoor assets. It can spread in one of two ways: above ground via “sap-feeding beetles” or below ground via tree root systems (For more information, please visit Texas Oak Wilt). This fungus spreads rapidly throughout root systems and can also put your neighbors’ Oak trees at high risk of infection. It spreads most rapidly through the root systems of Live Oaks. 3 Ways to Identify the Disease: Photo source Take a look at your Oak tree’s leaves: The occurrence of blurred, brown-colored veins on the leaves of your tree could be an indicator of infection.A Certified Arborist can check your Oak tree’s bark: Professionals can uncover “fungal mats…by looking for inconspicuous narrow cracks in the bark…leading to hollow areas between the bark and wood.” However, these indicative fungal mats do not appear on White Oak or Live Oak trees. Do not attempt to search for fungal mats on your own! (For more information, please visit Texas Oak Wilt)Laboratory analysis: In some instances, specialists can visit your property to gather samples from your tree to determine the presence of Oak Wilt via laboratory diagnosis. Are some breeds of Oak trees more at risk than others? Yes. While Oak Wilt is dangerous for any Oak trees on your property, Live Oaks and Red Oaks are prone to succumb to the effects of the disease at a much faster pace. Live oaks, in particular, can rapidly infect surrounding trees through interconnected root systems. If you have either Live Oaks or Red Oaks on your property, please reach out to our team as soon as possible if you suspect infection. How can you treat Oak Wilt? Call in the professionals! This highly contagious disease should be carefully addressed and treated by certified arborists. Our team of tree care experts has the knowledge and education to identify Oak Wilt and determine the best path of treatment for your specific trees. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have concerns of Oak Wilt on your property.