Oak wilt, a serious and deadly vascular disease in oak trees, has been confirmed in at least one oak tree in Hudson. All oak trees are susceptible to this disease. The best way to control the spread of oak wilt in Hudson is to follow these recommendations from the City Arborist:
- Maintenance pruning your oak trees should be done between November 1 and March 31. This is the SAFE period to prune them.
- It is recommended to avoid pruning any oak trees throughout the growing season which is April 1 - November 1. Overland spread of the disease occurs mainly by sap feeding beetles that pick up fungal spores and carry them to freshly pruned (or wounded), healthy trees.
- If pruning must be done, use wound dressing spray to seal the cuts so the fungal spores of the disease cannot get into the tree.
More About Oak Wilt
Symptoms
Foliage begins to wilt in the upper canopy often in mid to late summer.
Disease Cycle
The pathogen spreads from diseased to healthy trees overland and underground.
- Overland spread occurs mainly by sap feeding beetles that pick up fungal spores and carry them to freshly wounded healthy trees, as in pruning cuts.
- Underground spread occurs between neighboring trees through root grafts.
Treatments
Preventative applications of systemic fungicide is an option and should be administered by experienced, professional tree service personnel.