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Oak Chances - Leafless

Started by SLOBuds, April 22, 2010, 06:16:09 PM

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SLOBuds

I have a Valley Oak - California Chaparral location.  It's mature, somewhere around 70' tall.

The tree lost all of its leaves suddenly last year.  Before they dropped, it did not look very healthy.  This year no leaves have shown thus far.  Our other Valley Oaks have started to leaf.

Is there any chance at all that the tree could recover, or have I lost it for good?  Any evidence of a tree like this going leafless for a season and then coming back?

Might hate to hear the answer to that, but I do want to know so I can come to terms.  It was/is a beautiful tree.

Thank you, Martin

Ron Scott

I would be concerned that it might be Sudden Oak Death. You should contact your local Extension Forester or Conservation District Forester for a positive diagnosis.

http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/pdf/HomeownersGuide2-08.pdf
~Ron

WDH

Usually when what you described happens, the end is near.  Trees get disease and die, just like people.  If it does not leaf out this spring, I would say that it is a goner.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

SLOBuds

Thank you, that's what I thought.

I am thinking about harvesting some lumber out of it.  Should I do that this year after certain that no leaves have appeared through spring, or wait until next year?

Brian Beauchamp

This happened to an ash in my dad's front yard a couple of years ago, except it just never leafed out. We had plans to take it down after it sat seemingly dead for a year aside from a few (very few) leaf clusters around the base of the crown. Last year it was as full as it has ever been...very odd. I definitely can't explain that one.

Do the twigs on your oak have some pliability or do they break off easily? Also, do the leaf buds seem to be alright?

Phorester

Brian asked the questions I was going to ask.  If the buds and the tips of the branches are still pliable it is not dead yet. But it could be on its way out.

If the ends of the twigs break instead of bend and if the buds look brown and shriveled I suspect it's dead.

If so I'd cut it this year so insects and decay don't have time to set in and degrade the wood.

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