Black oak problems ?

Treeaddict

Treehouser
Joined
Aug 16, 2021
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Location
Harford county MD
I seem to remember on a rec climb with Pat and John, a fellow told us they couldn’t plant black oak as part of a municipal planting project. I can’t remember why. Is there a black oak blight? Are they prone to issues? I’m dealing with one that has some level of stress on part of its root zone but is kicking the proverbial bucket and I don’t see the major cause.
 
Oaks have been getting hammered around here. Dunno the cause. Black oaks appear to be affected more, but I've seen dead/dying whites also. No obvious external(mechanical) cause.
 
Black oaks are real sensitive in the RZ. Very sensitive to compaction and grade changes. Surrounding with grass would also be an issue. So in a municipal setting, they would suffer. Eventually need removing. Just my guess.
 
I think that was Ethan - who works in Philadelphia with street trees. BLS (Xylella fastidiosa) is rampant here. A couple weeks ago there was a burr oak found that exhibited symptoms of oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum). Oaks really are getting hammered here. From my yard I can count ten mature oaks that are dead or dying back.
 
Oak wilt in my neck of the woods. And with the past seven years of severe this or that weather have a compounding effect on every tree but the oaks, all oaks, are suffering badly. Stands of oak are dead. It’s sad to see 200-400 year old trees bitting the dust in volume.
 
The bur oaks are holding on but there are some real big ones that I have my eye on here in town, they don’t look too hot.
 
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