swamp chestnut oak

13 years ago

I purchased 100 swamp chestnutt trees form our state's forest service 2 years ago. Kept them in pots for a year and planted them last year. Before planting on property last year, they ranged in size from 1" -10". Last summer I had to water weekly because of a drought, so they didnt put on much growth. This past late winter I wanted a more mature version so I went to a local nursery to buy one and ended up with 8 trees ranging form 5'-12'. They were going to burn them because the trees were not the shape a homwowner would want in their front yard. So they gave me 8 for $20. All in 15 gallon pots. Looked funny driving down the road with them sticking up in the truck. Any way I planted them the same weekend I purchased them. After leaf bloom, the bugs hammered the new leafs (on all the swampchestnut oaks). I only go to my property on the weekends. Every time I would drive by one I would give it a good shake to see the caterpillars fall out. One tree lost every leaf, but has since put new ones on. Is there a way to prevent this from happing next year? And why only these this type of tree?

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Comments (5)

tmore
13 years ago
I suggest going to your local extension office and getting the info you need
alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama
13 years ago
I've noticed this with my Swamp Chestnut Oaks too, as well as a couple of Bur Oaks I planted. I don't think it's caterpillars on mine, but rather some type of sucking insects that distort the newest leaves. I put a little Sevin dust on mine when they were small, but now that they're larger they seem to survive on their own just fine.
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Ok, let me clarify things a bit. First off, I was wrong to say these are swamp chestnut oaks. I had keyed them several years ago as chestnut oaks, Quercus prinus, but had somebody recently contradict me and say the were SCOs. I double checked my findings against several sources and confirmed they are CO. Secondly, since I'm a Master Gardener Volunteer with our local extension office, I've already "contacted" them. I've discussed this with our agent on a couple of occassions and he (a plant pathologist by training) hasn't heard about anything specific to these trees. I haven't taken him any samples yet since root samples (which he wants) are difficult to get from 2-3' diameter oaks. That's on my list of things to do. Brandon, the trees are spread throughout our property and adjacent properties (about 50 acres total area) and there are many apparently healthy COs among them. But these looked healthy until they started dying. We've had several summers of moderate drought but not severe. We started noticing them dying about 3 years ago. I've seen a ganoderma lucidum near a couple of the trees. I hadn't thought about it but they are a cause of root rot in some oaks. However, the way these trees decline is not indicative of this particular fungus. Another tree that was blown down during a hurricane a few years ago had several of the armillaria mushrooms (I'm not 100% sure which one) growing near the base and they continue to come back, I assume still getting nourishment from the remaining roots. Oh! Oh! You are wonderful! One of the pictures I took of the most recently cut down tree showed the black "strings" typical of shoestring root rot! I haven't seen the fruiting bodies near these trees but this may be the clue I need. I'll go find that particular piece of wood and get some samples for examination. Even though I've been a MG for 10 years, I still have so much to learn. Thanks for putting me on the right path. Oh, and Rhizo, no there has not been any construction or change of grade near these for many years. We've been at this property since 1979 and the trees are scattered about so widely that the minimal disturbance from lawn care can't account for this. I don't have a definite answer from this discussion but you've certainly given me direction. Thanks to you all! Sandy
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treenutt
Original Author
13 years ago
alabama I have noticed that also, but not as concerned about it as loosing all the leaves. Some of the bigger trees planted are missing the top portion of their leaves. Its an ugly site.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
according to the facts.. as stated.. you planted 108 trees.. lost none.. and have some bugs that havent really shown any impact on the health of the trees ...

what is really the problem???

an overly anxious father of a teen girl???

unless you have a real problem.. that affects growth .... i would suggest.. you dont really have a problem ..

also.. in planting such a monoculture.. i dont really see why you are surprised you have attracted a bug ...

as for the way too big trees in way to small pots [yes!!! 15 gal pot for an oak tree is nothing].. it is not uncommon to have really ugly trees.. lol ... get them well established... 1 to 3 years.. and then just start pruning on them until you have some nice trees ...

in my yard.. every oak is going to be limbed up to about 10 feet ... so ugly as a 5 footer or ten footer may be.. by the time they are about 30 feet high.. and limbed up.. and have a foot wide trunk.. all the uglies will be a long forgotten thing ...

now.. tell us about the property.. how big for 108 oak trees???? is it really z10??? ... come on.. curious minds want to know ....

ken
treenutt
Original Author
13 years ago
Ken_Adrian
I wanted "white oaks" for deer hunting. No nursery around sold them. So the next best option was what I did and the only white oak they sold. (only 30 bucks for 100 trees). I guess I didnt mention that I did loose some during the first year which I was expecting. The bare root sapling I got from the "state" were planted in pots for a year then tranplanted around the property. I kept around 10 for spare which I have only 2 left after replacing the ones that didnt make it. Its intersting to see that some of the saplings are 3' tall while others are less than 1'.
I am probably over anxious and if I loose a few here and there, its what I expected. I just dont want to loose the entire fleet if I could find a reasonable solution to my trees problem. My property soil ranges from sandy upland to bottomland soil (Swampchestnut oaks (SCO) love this environment). I planted around the whole property including full sun sandy soil knowing that its not the most favorible soil, but I had so freakin many of them, why not? The ones in the wetter soil and partly shady areas are really thriving where as the ones planted in the side of a hill with horrible soil and huge limestone rocks just inches from the surface are not looking to good, but at least I am giving them a chance. Keeping them watered is a chore, but well worth it. It takes about 3 hours and 110 gallons to water them all every weekend if there is no rain (gravity feed). I planted 30 of the saplings in three rows of 10 with 15ft spacing. I will eventually have to cull some out, but not for a long time. Its 106 acres. 1/2 pasture for hay. The rest is mostly red oaks: post oaks, water oaks, southern red oak, blackjack oak, willow oak. Also black willow, short leaf pine, loblolly pine, sweatgum, a lot of elm, a lot of hickory, way too many yaupon and other native east Texas trees, shrubs and vines. I try my best to keep out all the tallow trees. I would like to get rid of all the sweatgum too. I hate that tree with a passion. And a 4 acre pond. I am trying to keep it all native, trees that are native to that region, except for the 12 fruit trees I have planted that the coons and possums love more than me. The biggest problem I am going to have to face is fencing all the trees to protect them from the excited male deer during their rut. I lost my biggest swampchestnut last year due to this. I thought it was to small for them to rub on, but I was mistaken. Really surprised that the deer arent browsing on the new leaves from the SCO. I hope this answered your question and also thanks for the feedback.

swamp chestnut oak

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tmore

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

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swamp chestnut oak

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tmore

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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