A photo would be helpful.

Ok, I hope this helps...

{{gwi:439525}}

Without seeing more close up images I can't tell, but wonder if there is any physical damage to this branch at some point either to the bark or if it is cracked.

I suspect you may end up having to let this one branch go and just let the rest of the tree fill back in.

The leaves do look a bit droopy over all. Has this tree been properly watered? It might just be water starved or overwatered.

Jamie

your red oak looks a lot like a silver maple.
Is that the photo you meant to post?

Good eye. I second the opinion although looking from my cell phone i cant get close in so well.

Often enough my larger trees drop limbs. Even internally something can go wrong and the branch fails. If it does not have as many buds as well as others in the winter i would prune it. Long as you cut it right the tree will not care.

Are you up on pruning methods if it comes to that?

Gardeningrandma, Im was told by my builder that it was a red oak...but that means nothing in all honesty. I pulled a leaf and It does appear to be a silver maple. Good call. Now the branch with the yellowed section in question is quite long...perhaps 6 - 7 feet but only the top half has the damage which is why I was wondering what was going on. I am new to tree terms so bear with me...but the runners (new limbs) beneath the yellowed section are a healthy red color on their bark, and the ones in the yellowed section are a dull gray like the trunk of the tree. I wish I could change the topic now! I feel so uninformed.:)

I will investigate it for branch or bark damage. I did not know where to start but now I have learned something. If that's the case and the branch wants to drop, I will be taking a huge chunk of the tree away but I suppose it needs to be done. I have never pruned before as I am a new homeowner with new homeowner responsibilities.

Well congratulations on being a new homeowner. There is nothing to be ashamed of for not knowing what type of tree it is. Everyone has to learn sometime.

This yellowing branch is probably nothing. It's fall afterall that branch is a harbinger of things to come. Wait until spring and if it doesn't have new leaves on it, prune it off. Silver maples require more attention than other maples to make sure they are pruned for branch structure. This is important with these because they are prone to breakage.

Sounds good. I will just have to monitor the thing for the time being and research pruning methods. Thanks for all the help!

Have you been watering it in the summer? August was very hot and dry. Not sure how big your tree is but if it's big, it takes 2-3 years to fully establish with proper watering.

Where in Texas do you live? In Dallas-Ft Worth area, it's not that good of a tree. It tends to split whenever a strong thunderstorm comes through. Same for Bradford pear. It may take 10-15 years before that happens though and you probably won't be around to see that happen. If you plan on living in the house in the long term, you may want to think about replacing those trees or planting new trees nearby to take over when sliver maple and bradford split in half. It's not fun having to completely start over to get some shade from the sun. Not to mention, a dent in property value if you have to sell the house without any shade trees.

It also may never split if it's pruned to remove the branches with the narrowest crotch angles.

True, gardningrandma. I have found that silver maples can be *decent* trees if one of two things happens (preferably both): They are trimmed very well by an arborist and/or 2. You get the luck of the draw and don't have a tree that wants to make a crotch.

They are OK when they won't bother power lines or nearby houses.

There is one down the street, it is planted in the tree lawn. It must be over 50 years old, it's ancient. There is a house 10 feet on one side and 15 feet on the other along with 8 million wires. It has a big crotch with a cut going down the middle. It could come down at any time but the city doesn't appear to care.