Yes that is right White Oak one of the most resistant Oaks trees to Oak Wilt and is very slow to kill a white oak and may never kill it, or take it a long time to kill it if it is infected. White oak typically lives to 300 years but they can reach 600+ years. Frequently the trees are killed from an interaction of damaging agents such as a defoliator followed by invasion of a shoestring fungus and the twolined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus) Golden oak scale (Asterolecanium variolosum) can seriously damage and even kill the tree. It is especially damaging when accompanied by drought. And also Soil compaction like pineresin described could also lead to decline.

alatree, Thankfully, we weren't in the area where the big brood of period cicadas emerged this year, either. Not sure where shark is, but his description is classic. Last major brood emergence I remember was like back in '98, maybe? Eerie - there were so many of them, that it sounded like something out of an old '50s science fiction movie, like a 'flying saucer' landing. Everywhere. I had a little single-string Echo weedeater at the time, and the noise that string made while whirling around was almost the same frequency as that of a receptive female - I had to quit using it until they were all dead, 'cause every time I fired it up, I'd get swarmed by randy males. I can still see oviposition scars on some of my oaks and fruit trees, all of which had been planted less than 4 years at the time.

loris and garden4wildlife, I've bought alot of things from Forest farm. I've always been satistified with my plants. I guess I didn't pay that much attention to what all they sell. I've always looked for the native stuff or viburnams. I can't remember now how I stumbled upon Possibility Place, but I do have it bookmarked. It's pretty far from me, I can't tell from the directions, but it looks like north of Chicago. Would be a nice drive...I don't like how they sell items. Meaning, you order in the spring and pick it up (I was not aware they did mailorder?). It's not your typical nursery, where you can go and look, pick out what you like the best (which plant looks the best) and go from there. There's another nursery, the kind where you look around and pick out what you like, that's in St. Charles. Again, the Chicago area, but I like the set-up better. I realize you can't do that with forest farm, but I've always been happy with what they sent me. G4W, you do make a very valid point of them selling exotics and invasives. I'm thinking in my head, not really trying to excuse them, but do you think they sell the invasive stuff because it's not invasive in some areas? Pipe dream? I like to give people the benefit of the doubt....:) I've seen nurseries around here that sell barberry, porcelian vine, hall's honeysuckle (and lots of other jap honeysuckles), english ivy...you get the picture. Somebody sold privet and purple loosestrife, because I've got them here! Loosestrife is coming out....I've got monarchs and some other butterfly/moths that are attracted to it...if I pull it up now, I won't have them...I know, I know....pretty stupid of me. The yard here was not taken care of at all, and if this thing reseeded, I'd have them all over. I was told it was sterile. Yes? Gosh I hope so....it's hard starting over and not having flowers or shrubs big enough to bring in any wildlife...do I make sense? The privets also will come out when the other stuff gets bigger...or should I do it now? Again thinking in my head...I'd love them gone now and the 4 we took out were really easy to pull/dig up. Same with the spireas....I want them gone soon..I've got 2 vib. ready to plant. What kills me is I can't find the "weed" plants...sneezeweed, butterfly weed, ironweed, the straight joe pye weed...I bought a joe pye, even though he's not the "wild" one. Maybe he'll revert like the chocolate one I had years ago did?..... I'm getting a personal tour of a greenhouse and the main headquarters building in a couple weeks (burbs of Chicago). I'm going to ask opinons on coffeetree or tulip tree....I've been wanting both....had tulip tree in TN, planned on getting coffeetree....boy I ramble....lol...not feeling good today....:)

Not a happy camper. Looks like it has been getting a lot of heat and afternoon sun... no thanks to the neighbor. Transplant shock setting in as it cannot handle things this sunny and hot with a small root system. You can (short term) give it artificial shade by using outside chairs, umbrellas or something you can construct or prepare. A temporary measure, of course. It is now getting too much afternoon sun due to your neighbor's pruning of the trees. So, concentrate on quick & fast things to alleviate the problem... short term wise. Then transplant it out of the way of all this sun/heat; later on, concentrate on looking for a new location but transplant it there in the Fall. Now is not a good time to transplant a hydrangea to a new location in our hot summer zones. It is ok to put it in a pot & then place the pot in shade though. 1. Start by keeping it well watered and by doing something that gives it shade immediately. Umbrellas, chairs, anything that blocks the sun... Consider the blooms. When the blooms collapse like this, I try to salvage the blooms by watering but, if they do not perk up and they remain pointing downwards no matter what, well, then forget them... cut the petiole that links the bloom to the stem. Basically, I let the water that used to go to the blooms and make it go to the remaining leaves. It happens to me when the shrubs are new/small and get a bad heat spell during the summer. Bottom line, sometimes watering fixes the blooms but, sometimes it does not help; and if it does not help, I then cut the blooms off. Next, consider transplanting to a place where there is morning sun, afternoon/evening shade (or dappled sun) in the summer months. But put the shrub in a pot/container now and replant in the Fall. It is too hot now to plant a new hydrangea or transplant one. So, put it in a pot again and keep the pot in full but bright shade until this Fall. While waiting for Fall to arrive, observe which locations have morning sun only during the summer months. Then, move it there when it has gone completely dormant. Note: keep the pot near a place where you will see them often so you will not forget to water/fertilize the plant. Add computer/electronic reminders if you think you may forget to water the shrub while it is in the pots. You can prune the leaves that turn all brown when they turn all brown. Leave them all there until then. You may even loose a few stems but no panic. Sometimes in the summer, I have lost all stems but, in Spring, I get new ones since the trick is not to loose the roots. Luis