 oak leaves with oak wilt (photo from the Michigan DNR) |
a news release of Michigan DNR
Trees across Michigan are just wrapping up their display of fall color, with the reds, oranges and yellows of oak trees often taking center stage. That annual autumn color fest may be at risk, though, because oak trees across areas of Michigan are dying from oak wilt.
One of the best ways to help prevent oak wilt from infecting trees on your property is to avoid wounding them during the high-risk infection period, April 15 to July 15. Winter is a safe time to prune oak trees.
Caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, oak wilt is fatal to oak trees, especially those in the red oak family, which includes black oak, northern red oak and northern pin oak – all identifiable by their pointed leaf tips.
Once a tree is infected, the fungus may fruit, creating distinct, gray to black fungal pads under the tree’s bark. Fungal spores can be picked up by sap-feeding nitidulid beetles attracted by the pads’ yeasty odor. Sap beetles spread oak wilt when they visit pruned or damaged oaks to feed on their exposed sap.
Oak wilt often is first identified when green leaves turn yellow or brown on the edges and begin to drop during the summer. Infected oaks can spread the disease to other oaks through underground root connections or grafts, creating an expanding circle of dead trees.
Winter is the ideal time to prune trees because nitidulid beetles and other pests that cause harmful tree diseases are less active in cold temperatures.
The DNR maintains an interactive online map for viewing verified, reported and treated locations of oak wilt across the state. The tool also can be used to report suspected oak wilt infections. What can be done? Michigan.gov/ForestHealth or MichiganOakWilt.org.
To learn more about oak wilt, visit Michigan Oak Wilt
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