Is this White Oak dying

[ajreid]

It has leaves lower in the tree, but the top has no leaves. Is it dying? Don't want to cut down a White Oak if there is a chance it might make it.

(broken image removed)

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Could be dying. Might just be stressed. I'd give it a season.( no not in the wood pile, give it a chance)

 

[PapaDave]

I've got a bunch of Maple like that, and was wondering the same.

 

[ScotO]

I'd give it a season or so....see how it acts next year and maybe even the year after.....
Does the tree appear to be damage anywhere (bark scrapped, busted roots, etc.)? If not, it may have a bad taproot, which could lead to it's demise.....I've seen that happen many times....

don't take it down yet, maybe watch it for a while.....

 

[JOHN BOY]

If it looks like that again next year cut the dead off of it. I'd also get some tree fertalizer spikes and point them in the ground . dont go outside of the width of the branches up top.

 

[Woody Stover]

Looks like a Black Oak....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Your choice to cut or not. Doesn't do any harm to leave it but if you need the wood, cut away. If you would rather save the tree, hold off a bit.

 

[ajreid]

I'm going to leave another year. To much dead stuff laying around to cut it down so soon.

 

[ajreid]

Looks like a Black Oak....

The bark near the base of the tree was flaking, and rounded lobes on the leaves had me thinking white oak. Better pics of the tree would have helped.

 

[basod]

I think I'm seeing walnut leaves to the left - if there are husks on the ground the walnut could be killing the oak.
If you find any of the oak leaves on the ground and the veins are still green it could be oak wilt - it'll be dead in a couple years

 

[TimJ]

Big trees can take many years to die, but once it starts it will continue unless there is some intervention before it is too late.
The tree is definately dying.

 

[ajreid]

I think I'm seeing walnut leaves to the left - if there are husks on the ground the walnut could be killing the oak.
If you find any of the oak leaves on the ground and the veins are still green it could be oak wilt - it'll be dead in a couple years

This thing is surrounded by walnut trees. Thanks for the advise on the leaves I'll check that out.

 

[basod]

You can look around on the trunk and may see bulges where the bark has popped off if it is oak wilt.
I'd just cut now before the top becomes a widow maker

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Every month it's allowed to continue to die puts you that much more in danger of widow makers. I'd already have it on the ground.

 

[basod]

Every month it's allowed to continue to die puts you that much more in danger of widow makers. I'd already have it on the ground.

I have to agree, have two oaks that I flagged last fall and got out on the quad yesterday and found both trees completely dead - they looked very similar to the above picture last fall.
There will be pics of when I get around to dropping them.