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White Oak tree leaves turning brown #475058

Asked August 01, 2018, 2:02 PM EDT

Please see the attached pictures. I have two mature white oaks that are in the buffer zone of our property. This has happened now for a few years. Start out green then the end of the leaves turn brown. What is the problem and can it be addressed. On Mears Cove in Lusby MD. There are other white oaks on the property that don’t have this problem.

Calvert County Maryland

Expert Response

This looks like it could be oak leaf scorch or anthracnose. Oak leaf scorch causes leaf margins to die and they have a distinct yellow border separating the dead tissue from the green tissue. Oak anthracnose causes irregular dead areas but the leaves also tend to be distorted. Since just two trees on the property appear to be affected (whereas the others are fine), we recommend that you consult with a certified arborist to do an evaluation of the symptomatic trees. A certified arborist will be able to submit samples to a laboratory to test for pathogens. Based on the results, they can make recommendations for you. You can find a certified arborist near you by using the search feature on the website of the International Society of Arboriculture. http://www.treesaregood.org/

Here is additional information on possible causes of oak decline. https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/why-oak-trees-are-declining

ckc

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