Do I have an oak problem?

Mike Corazzi

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It concerns me. Don't know if it needs anything or just making me uneasy.

worry spot.jpg

This is the way the other side looks.

trunk.jpg

The tree itself is doing well. Leafing out like crazy and new shoots needing clip or wire all over.

oak.jpg

Am I overworrying? Should I seal that spot that is of concern? It is not wet. Does not STAY wet. Just crummy looking.


This is the tree prior to leafing out.

oak.jpg

Thanks..... :)
 

Mike Corazzi

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Did I stick this in the wrong forum?
I guess I should have gone General.
 

LittleDingus

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Not the wrong place...just hard to tell anything from the picture :(

Is the bark real crumbly there? Is it soft? Other than the looks, is there something else about it that's worrying you?

From the picture, I'm not sure it is anything I would worry about unless the bark were also soft/crumbly in that area. I don't think a wetting of fungicide would hurt anything though.

Does it look like a lichen?
 

Mike Corazzi

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Yes😁. Dig around in substrate see what looks like below. If no rot/no worry. Unless wet substrate/rotting wood Oaks generally pretty tough.

Bigger pic.

Don't think cutpaste is called for?

Squirted some Bonide on the spot.

oak rot.jpg
 

leatherback

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I really do not know what you think you are seeing?

Can you describe what you think the issue is? This looks like a tree to me.
 

Mike Corazzi

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I really do not know what you think you are seeing?

Can you describe what you think the issue is? This looks like a tree to me.


Some sort of rot at the bottom. Or not.

worry spot.jpg

It's so different from the other side which has good bark.

Don't like the indentation at the top of that area.
 

leatherback

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Looks like there is a bit of fielsoil captured there.

If it is not soggy of soft, it is nothing strange, afai can tell.
 

LittleDingus

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Some sort of rot at the bottom. Or not.

View attachment 375834

It's so different from the other side which has good bark.

Don't like the indentation at the top of that area.

I'm with leatherback...I don't see anything concerning. It's so hard to tell in cell phone pictures sometimes though :( Not your fault at all...just the type of processing cell phone's automagically do to make the picture "pretty" kills a lot of detail.

In your closeup pick, it looks like you have a healthy root with some fine secondaries coming off it. I'd try and keep that covered. It looks like it's coming from near the area you're concerned about. That's a good sign...and something you can watch for changes on.

It also looks like there may be a bit of lichen? Or maybe some salt buildup from watering? Is there a crust there in that circle? Does it flake off easily? Again...just hard to tell from the picture.

edited_oak_rot.png

I'm assuming the area in red is the area of concern. If there is some old soil and maybe some moss buildup there, it could be staying more wet than the rest of the trunk and discoloring. From what I can see in the picture, I wouldn't worry about it unless the area was also soft and spongy.

Again, spraying it with a copper based fungicide once a week for a few weeks is not likely to hurt anything. If it is rot...or even if it's not...it's not likely to go back to looking like the rest of the trunk maybe ever. A few years of vigorous growth to thicken the bark and heal over any damage couldn't hurt though ;)
 

Mike Corazzi

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I'm with leatherback...I don't see anything concerning. It's so hard to tell in cell phone pictures sometimes though :( Not your fault at all...just the type of processing cell phone's automagically do to make the picture "pretty" kills a lot of detail.

In your closeup pick, it looks like you have a healthy root with some fine secondaries coming off it. I'd try and keep that covered. It looks like it's coming from near the area you're concerned about. That's a good sign...and something you can watch for changes on.

It also looks like there may be a bit of lichen? Or maybe some salt buildup from watering? Is there a crust there in that circle? Does it flake off easily? Again...just hard to tell from the picture.

View attachment 375838

I'm assuming the area in red is the area of concern. If there is some old soil and maybe some moss buildup there, it could be staying more wet than the rest of the trunk and discoloring. From what I can see in the picture, I wouldn't worry about it unless the area was also soft and spongy.

Again, spraying it with a copper based fungicide once a week for a few weeks is not likely to hurt anything. If it is rot...or even if it's not...it's not likely to go back to looking like the rest of the trunk maybe ever. A few years of vigorous growth to thicken the bark and heal over any damage couldn't hurt though ;)

Well... oops! 🤪

I got a better pic now with a real camera.

I'm also now with @leatherback and you.

The striations on the bark are just fine. When wet, they don't show up very good.

P1050152.JPG

I put it so the sun hit directly on the spot and I guess it WAS wet from watering.
Now I'll cover that root a bit. It seems to enjoy making girdling roots. I removed one a short while ago that was displaying ..too much... tendency to girdle..
Can't see any lichen. I doubt salt buildup as our water is VERY soft.

So thanks guys. I get concerned with trees that I might hallucinate problems with. I intend to water farther from the trunk from now on. If that matters.

:)
 

LittleDingus

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Well... oops! 🤪

No oops...the new picture is much more clear. Cell phone cameras are great for what they are intended for. The problem is, you see the real thing, then the picture, then your brain fills in some gaps. We can't see the real thing so the gaps are still there so we try to fill them in without a high-def reference.

I can see now that what I thought might be lichen is just the texture of the soil. I "filled in" lichen because you were asking about potential problems Lichen itself isn't a potential problem...but it can get a hold easier on a weakened tree. So, I saw something...and filled in some gaps ;)

I love the branch structure, by the way! I think there are those that will warn you that 5 branches coming out of basically the same junction will lead to inverse taper. To me, that kind of "medusa-hair" look is exactly what I'm hoping for down the road on at least one of my live oaks. That tangle of branches coming off the trunk like that is a defining characteristic of a good ol' southern live oak to me. I know they don't all grow that way, but when I go through my pictures of live oaks...those are the ones I invariably decided to photograph :D
 

Mike Corazzi

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No oops...the new picture is much more clear. Cell phone cameras are great for what they are intended for. The problem is, you see the real thing, then the picture, then your brain fills in some gaps. We can't see the real thing so the gaps are still there so we try to fill them in without a high-def reference.

I can see now that what I thought might be lichen is just the texture of the soil. I "filled in" lichen because you were asking about potential problems Lichen itself isn't a potential problem...but it can get a hold easier on a weakened tree. So, I saw something...and filled in some gaps ;)

I love the branch structure, by the way! I think there are those that will warn you that 5 branches coming out of basically the same junction will lead to inverse taper. To me, that kind of "medusa-hair" look is exactly what I'm hoping for down the road on at least one of my live oaks. That tangle of branches coming off the trunk like that is a defining characteristic of a good ol' southern live oak to me. I know they don't all grow that way, but when I go through my pictures of live oaks...those are the ones I invariably decided to photograph :D

I actually wired the branches from an oak growing not far from here. Even down to some of the kinks in the branches.
 

LittleDingus

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I actually wired the branches from an oak growing not far from here. Even down to some of the kinks in the branches.

That's pretty awesome :D

I've been tempted to do the same from some pictures I have...but alas...my tiny oak tree needs about 10 more years of growing out first!
 
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