Texas A & M Forest Ranger Rachel McGregor

Posted by John Hamilton on Jun 02, 2016

If you have traveled to the Hill Country you have seen the devastation caused by Oak Wilt on the live oak trees. Vast areas have been decimated and it is only a matter of time for the others.

　Rachel McGregor, staff forester 1 for the Texas A&M Forest Service, told the Rotary Club that Oak Wilt has been observed in Ellis County. This is very bad news for all of the oaks in the county.

Red oaks are most suseptible and will certainly die if they get the fungus. Live oaks are next most vulnerable but have a survival rate of about twenty percent if the fungus is found early and appropriate treatment is provided. The different varieties of white oak are much more resistant.

The disease is spread above ground by the sap beetle known as the nitidulid which feeds on the sweet Oak Wilt fungus then moves to an open spot on another tree. This means that every open wound no matter how small must be treated by covering with latex paint or pruner’s seal. This applies to limbs lopped or damaging the bark by accident. The Forest Service strongly recommends that no trimming or cutting take place while the beetles are active. This means do not cut if the temperature is below 100 degrees or above freezing.

Below ground the disease is spread by the interconnected root system. Live oaks in particular send out roots in an area three times the diameter of the leaves so other oaks which seem separated have connecting roots.

Oak Wilt attacks healthy trees that have an opening. It does not need for the tree to be stressed by drought or too much rain. Those situations have their own remedies but they are not necessary for Oak Wilt to begin its work. 　

Yellow veins on green live oak leaves or bronze coloring on red oak leaves are signs for concern and immediate action on the land-owner’s part.

For more information and advice contact Ms. McGregor at the office 817-964-1895 or e-mail at rmcgregor@tfs.tamu.edy. Visit the web sites at http://tfsweb.tamu.edu or http://texasoakwilt.org . Ms. McGregor is in the Granbury Region serving Ellis County. 　

For more information about the Rotary Club of Waxahachie where we believe in Service Above Self and doing things as a club we cannot do alone, visit the club web site at www.waxahachierotary.org . You can find American flag subscription forms there. Cow Creek Country Classic bike ride information will be there soon. The bike ride will be Saturday, June 25.