Holes in white oak leaves - Ask Extension
I have a young transplanted white oak that each year has holes in all of the leaves. The trunk has had some damage making it look like a shag bark hic...
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Holes in white oak leaves #493005
Asked October 31, 2018, 3:28 PM EDT
I have a young transplanted white oak that each year has holes in all of the leaves. The trunk has had some damage making it look like a shag bark hickory.
Clark County Indiana
Expert Response
I am not worried by the holes in the leaves. Oaks have some caterpillars that like to take a few bites but this amount of damage is just fine.
Please send more pictures of the trunk. I'm more concerned about issues there.
Thanks for the reply. The tree was transplanted when it was about two feet tall and did quite well the first couple of years although sucker stems started to come up from the base. Two different times I pruned them off. I'll include some trunk pics. Also, some of the newer leaves this year did not have the holes. -G
You've got an oak in the white oak group which do sometimes have shaggy bark. So don't worry about that.
I don't see any major problems with the trunk but I don't like grass growing next to it. And mulch. Mulch is so important. It keeps grass from competing with the young tree and helps with water retention and weeds. And maybe more importantly, keeps weed whackers and lawn mowers from hitting the trunk.
Mulch need only be 3" deep (organic preferred) and never put it right up next to the trunk. Put it down in a donut shape. Go as far out from the trunk as you like, at least to the drip line.
Remember to keep babying it somewhat. Trees can have transplant shock up to 5 years after transplanting. https://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-or-w-19.pdf
Hope this helps.
