Local Post Oak Tree Population Decline

Heavy rains this spring and summer have taken a toll on the local post oak tree population.

Diagnostician Sheila McBride with the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab said even if trees survived previous droughts, they could still be stressed.

“It was like a nail in the coffin with the rain. And post oaks don’t like for there to be a lot of rain or standing water around their roots,” said McBride.

McBride says environmental conditions also trigger plant pathogens commonly know as root rot, which cause the tree to die.

“The pathogens like the rain, especially root rot, it’s one of the things that likes water. So it comes in on an already stressed out tree and there are even insects out there that can also start to attack the tree under these conditions,” said McBride.

If you think your post oak is dead or stressed out, McBride says to wait until spring before cutting it down, in case the tree is able to survive.

Due to a high volume of calls this summer, the lab is creating an information sheet, which will be available on their website.

Click below to hear Sheila McBride visiting with WTAW’s Chelsea Reber.

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