# What is wrong with my live oak???



## lh731 (Apr 16, 2012)

I planted a 3" live oak about 6 weeks ago. It was a 30 gal container tree about 7' tall or so after planting. It seemed to be doing well at first and was filling out nicely with new leaves. About a week or two ago I noticed it started to look like it was thinning out. The leaves are turning brown and shriveling up. The leaves on the top seemed to go first. Any ideas what could be causing it? Please help!!


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## Urban Forester (Apr 17, 2012)

Pictures would help...BUT this sounds like a container plant that may have been root-bound and is in transplant shock. I am not well-versed in the watering requirements of Live Oak, but shock like this is common. Hopefully another Arborist with more knowledge of how to maintain this species will chime in.


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## ch woodchuck (Apr 22, 2012)

How about extremely hot temps.Sun scald on young trees that have thin bark can be a major problem.Also...there may not be enough leaf mass to shade the vulnerable upper canopy branches and twigs.


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## chunkymonkeyjon (Apr 25, 2012)

not sure what sort of season you lot are in over in the states, but over here its mid to late spring - not the best time to plant trees but then better than before harsh frosts or immanent scolding sunshine. planting and coppicing is usually always done in the dormant season so as to minimise the damage to the trees whilst they're in sap rise or leaf abscision.

planting a tree to succeed is a tricky business - you need alot of moist weather, and good soil. another common thing over here that causes the death of hardy and delicates is one of the three following... 

not staking the tree properly so the rootball is allowed to move around far to much, damaging the absorbing fine root hairs in the process and not letting the specimen establish anchorage roots.

another is to over-nutrient the specimen with compost and mulch causing leaf blemishes, poisoning, perhaps chlorosis or something similar.

its allways good to tickle the root ball before the tree goes in, not too soft or hard - this lets the roots choose thier own route into the soil. another thing is th dig square holes so the roots can congregate in the corners speeding up the anchorage process.

we also have whats called "mychorrizal fungal dip" or something like that which basically lets the symbiotic fungi develop to help the tree to fix its nitrogen. these are sub soil fungi that aren't often seen but sometimes look like tiny ant eggs or something attached to the nodes of the roots. this "root dip" gives the trees all the minerals it needs to stay healthy by encouraging the gowth of these fungi. 

hope this is of some help  

J


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## forestryworks (Apr 25, 2012)

Which "live oak" do you have? And what part of West TX?

West Texas is not the best place for Q. virginiana.

There are other native live oaks that are better suited to the west Texas environment.


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