Stressed southern live oak

[wtbuck12]

I was hoping to get a little feedback on a problem a customer discussed with me. He has about a 40 year old southern live oak that has been under 3 to 6 feet of salt water for the last two hurricanes in the last 3 years. The water stayed for about a week each time. The tree is really stressed, but is putting out green foliage after last seasons hurricane. He was wondering if I could do anything to improve its chances of survival, it really is a nice live oak. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Fireaxman]

Got a picture? Southern Live Oak are tough old trees, they can take a lot of abuse. This one is in Madisonville, La. It takes a couple feet of brackish to salt water from Lake Ponchartrain every time a storm comes close, plus the put a gas station on its feet, plus there is a heavily traveled highway on one side and a heavily traveled side road on the other. Then, up until a few years ago the "Oak Tree Gang" used to build a fire under the branches and smoke dope all night. No clue how this thing is still living, but there it is. Must have roots in the Tchefuncte River for water, but then that is where the salt water from Lake Ponchartrain comes in from every storm.

How salty was the water? Estuarine, or streight from the Gulf?

 

[wtbuck12]

The tree was covered by gulf water. It is located about 10 miles from the gulf. I don't have any pics, but will try to get some. The tree as I said is putting out foliage and did survive so far, and I know Live Oaks are pretty tolerant of salt. I was just wondering if mulching or fertilizer would be of any benefit?

 

[treeseer]

Live Oaks are pretty tolerant of salt. I was just wondering if mulching or fertilizer would be of any benefit?

Most fertilizer is salt so be careful with that--get a soil test kit from your county agent, and follow their directions.

One good thing for almost every tree root system is invigoration, loosening the soil and washing in composted organic matter. That would help buffer the salts and other imbalances in the soil.

But a test costs next to nothing--do it!

 

[wtbuck12]

Thanks Treeseer, I am going there tomorrow to work on some other trees and was planning to do that. I'll see what the results are and go from there.

Thanks again for the suggestion