Hello Marilu,

I believe you are correct that the front tree is a red oak, likely a Shumardii. Overall, it looks healthy, and least in the photo 5 shot. The ends of the branches appear to have smaller leaves and yellowing. This could be a nutrient deficiency. Photo 4 looks like leaf scorch. It could be bacterial leaf scorch or regular leaf scorch. You are probably going to need to get a certified arborist out to diagnose it. 

The back tree could be a blackjack oak. Blackjack oaks commonly have dieback in them. I do think the holes on that trunk are sapsucker or woodpecker. Way too orderly to be borers. The back tree could be experiencing some stress (because of the freeze and all the rain) but it looks healthy. If it is a blackjack, then the dieback is par for the course. 

I am more concerned about the front tree. If you wanted to take some more photos and email them to me, I can look at it further. 

Hope this helps. 

Hi Marilu,

If you could send a photo of the leaves of the front tree, that would be great. None of the photos are showing a good clear picture of the leaf (it looks like a different tree to me in each photo). 

The back tree looks really healthy and borers tend to be secondary invaders. They take out trees that are already struggling. https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/wood-boring-insects-of-trees-and-shrubs/

Perhaps there are borers in the tree, but it looks like sapsucker damage. They would just be getting sap from the tree rather than eating borers. 

The reason I think the back tree is a black jack and not an alba is because it looks bristles on the leaf tips. 

I was looking at this tree guide: http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/listOfTrees/index.aspx?t=O

Thank you,
-janet

Hello Marilu,

I consulted with Courtney Blevins the Texas Forest Service urban forester.

The front tree looks like oakleaf blister to him. I sent him several photos. Oakleaf blister doesn't need any treatment. 

He thinks the tree in the backyard is a bur oak or bur oak hybrid. I don't believe it has borers, but a simple treatment would be to use a soil drench with imidacloprid in it. Otherwise, controlling for borers is difficult because you have to catch them when they aren't in the tree. 

There are many things that can cause dieback. Look to see if it looks like it's been eaten in a complete circle around the twig. That would be a twig girdler. Typically you see alot of fallen branches when you have a twig girdler. 

I think the tree looks really good and healthy. We have had stressful weather for trees with the freeze and excessive rain, it may just have some dieback in response to that. 

Hope this helps.

-janet