Pictures of White Oak Bark Turning White and Powdery

[Ga_Boy]

I got a WO on my lot that the bark is turning wite and powdery about 2' up from the ground.

This sesction where the bark is turing to white powder is about 18" to 24" wide.

The tree is about 14" to 16" diameter.


Any ideas what this is?

I'll post some pictures tonight when I get home.





Mark

[SwampDonkey]

Is the bark loose and dry? Can you peel the bark by hand down to the cambium? If the bark is loose, are there galleries on the inner bark?

[Ga_Boy]

Well I dod not get to the picture last night and it's snowing today, I hope to get the picture taken this afternoon.  With it snowing, there's not alot I can do outside.




Mark

[Phorester]

Could just be a condition called white patch, also called smooth patch.

Caused by a fungus that attacks the outer bark and causes these smooth patches to form.  Most often seen on either slow growing or old white oaks.  Pretty common on bigger white oaks. Doesn't harm the tree at all.

[SwampDonkey]

Might even just be a large patch of lichen (blue-green Algae and Fungi), which are harmless. They feed off air pollutants. Some are light blue-green in color, almost white.

[Ga_Boy]

Here are three pictures showing the bark on that White Oak.












Mark

[SwampDonkey]

blue-green algae on sugar maple bark

[SwampDonkey]

Ga_Boy

Did a deer rub your tree by chance

[Ga_Boy]

I don't think a deer rubbed the tree.  My old knot headed dog does a pretty good job of keeping deer away.

[Phorester]

Pictures look like white patch.  I checked on google; there's links to this condition.  Search and see what you think.