Oak Wilt, a fatal disease spread by a fungus, has been found in a few sites in the eastern third of Kansas over the last decade. While the spread is often slow and sporadic, Kansans should be mindful of the fungus to prevent the spread of the fatal disease. If infected, rapid death can come to red oaks such as northern red, shumard, blackjack and pin oaks.

One way to prevent the spread of the fatal disease is to only prune trees in the winter. Winter pruning also makes it easier to observe the framework of limbs that make up the tree’s canopy.

If an oak tree is infected with oak wilt, the most obvious symptom of this disease is a bronzing and wilting of leaves in late spring and early summer. The tips and outer halves of the leaves will often appear scorched, with a distinct line between healthy and affected leaf tissue.

There are several diseases that affect the leaves of oak trees that can be hard to distinguish between, so confirmation by a plant pathology lab is recommended before taking any action.

If you suspect Oak Wilt in your trees, collect a sample of a wilting branch at least six inches long and half an inch thick. Keep the sample away from heat, and take it to your county extension office, or submit it to the KSU Plant Pathology Diagnostic Lab for positive confirmation of the fungus before you consider treatment.

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