Oak Tree - What do you think???

[Canyonbc]

Looked at this tree yesturday for one of my professors....i think its a California Black Oak...he believes it has Sudden Oak Death...what do you think by the pictures.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Canyonbc]

More pics

 

[Canyonbc]

More Pics...tryed to get a bunch to get the best advice back...

thanks again

 

[Ed Roland]

Ants...?? Is that an anacronym?

I would lean toward the phtophthora.

 

[Canyonbc]

Woodweasel...

Can you go into...more detail...do you think its dying?

phtophthora - that is sudden oak death correct???

 

[Ed Roland]

Prescription before diagnosis equals malpractice.

Phytophthora ramoram is the causal agent for SOD. Submit a viable root sample for the ELISA test to your local pathology lab source.

Here in the southeast we treat instance of Phytophthora catorum, we use Agri-Fos (2qts) + 2qts of water + 3 oz of Pentra Bark. Treat buttress area early spring, repeat early summer. Excise bar cankers with h2o2.

Please, expand on the "Ant theory".

Good luck!

 

[Canyonbc]

alright thanks

Ant theory...according to my accounting professor a buddy of his lost two oaks on is property...were killed by "carver ants"

I had never heard of this before...so i wrote it, wanted to see if anyone here could expand on it

 

[Canyonbc]

Prescription before diagnosis equals malpractice.

Phytophthora ramoram is the causal agent for SOD. Submit a viable root sample for the ELISA test to your local pathology lab source.

Here in the southeast we treat instance of Phytophthora catorum, we use Agri-Fos (2qts) + 2qts of water + 3 oz of Pentra Bark. Treat buttress area early spring, repeat early summer. Excise bar cankers with h2o2.

Please, expand on the "Ant theory".

Good luck!

If it is phythophthora ramoram, or SOD...isnt there no cure of getting the tree back to full health???

 

[treeseer]

Wheeze, your prescription sounds very familiar! what strength h2o2 do you use?

Canyon it also looks like construction damage and some very unfortunate pruning cuts are also heavy factors. Cannot prognose until you find the trunk flare. look for fungi and loose bark there. that pic with you pulling bark off was way worse than the phytophthora pics.

Phytophthora ramorum may be a causal factor, but there are other predisposing factors too.

 

[Canyonbc]

i did feel the bark and all of it...was coming off really easy..like flaking off...if this helps..

Do you think the tree needs to be removed???

 

[techdave]

SOD not in San Diego county

Hi Canyon, I cant remember when, but recently we were talking to a County extension guy, and SOD had not yet been confirmed in SD county.

If I remember right, they are dieing from afungus, which is capable of causing it due to the extended drought and sometimes the stress form the Cedar or Pines fires.

Googel SOD +California and you should be able to find out if its here in the county.

Of course if the tree in question is in NoCal, thats a whole different story.

I will see if I can find out about the fungus(?)

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya, i am not sure.....about San Diego...i personally havent seen any cases...i think Jomoco might be the one to comment on that...

but this oak is up in northern California...Napa County

Thanks though...

i do no something hit the oaks hard out in Japutal Valley, Descanso...and on up to Julian and Palomar...

 

[Ed Roland]

What strength h2o2 do you use?

Yeah, i hear u seer. I see where you would like to go with this!
I like 3% myself but you may recommend another rate. I see your recommendation of excising with hydrogen peroxyde here and there for various fungal issues on this site.

I enjoy access to myriad research from many learned folk. These folk have doctorates.

 

[Canyonbc]

Hey..

remeber what we are doing here...

trying to help some body with a their oak...

or establish it need to be removed.

 

[treeseer]

Canyon those were good pics of the middle of the tree but it's hard to judge without seeing the bottom of the tree. Also in the middle where the bark was being pulled off you'd need to measure the dead area and see if there is reaction tissue being formed. How long since construction?

3%, thanks weasel, I'm here to learn.

 

[00chris85]

this is just me throwing it out there.....but.....
the fact that the deck was built around the oak will not allow it to get a sufficient amount of water plus i would be worried about construction compaction before jumping to sudden oak death. but then again you are in the area for it. we don't have it in Ontario yet, but i hear it is coming.
if ants are present it is a sign that there is something wrong in the tree, they won't kill it but they won't help things. incests come when a tree/plant is under stress.

 

[Canyonbc]

Ok...i know the base of the tree is under the deck 6 feet or soo...

Deck has been there since the house was built...and i think the house was built in the early 80's...if that helps.

The base of the tree being in the shade more or less 24/7, well can that make a big difference in the trees health?

 

[jomoco]

Hey there Canyon BC,

Sorry for not noticing this thread earlier.

From your pictures and the tree in question being located in Napa Valley CA, the prognosis is not good.

One of the tell tale signs of SOD is a blackish exudate coming from the bark, and your pictures seem to show this occurring, this combined with Napa being an active SOD zone in CA warrant the owner of the tree taking an exudate/bark/root sample to his local county ag pathology lab to confirm SOD presence in the tree, then making a scientifically based decision on removal of the tree. He needs to bite the bullet and get it done quickly with a suspect tree that close to his house and family.

This is a very pertinent link for SOD susceptible areas in CA.

http://www.ufei.org/ForesTree/files/collected/forestry20200620v1.pdf

Armillaria or texas root rot fungus is fairly widespread in Quercus agrifolia here in SD county and has killed thousands of live oaks here. Tell tale signs of this fungus are fanlike fungus bodies growing on the tree's root flare and roots at the base of the tree. It also puts off a very mushroom distinctive odor. While I can take one sniff to confirm it's presence, beginners can dig a little under the flare/root/bark and find an odorous white thick spongy layer to confirm it's presence that way.

I hope this info helps your client make an informed judgement on his tree's future as well as furthering your arboricultural education.

jomoco

 

[Canyonbc]

Jomoco

Thank you.

I had worry that the tree might be infected...he thinks so to. I will get a sample thought and def. send it in.

Yes, i think it will definetly help my profesor and me, just trying to learn as mych as i can...

thanks again

Canyon

 

[Canyonbc]

Thanks for the info too on an about the oaks in San Diego County