Some sections still have green healthy leaves, but less than half.

No worries, Chris.

Dax

That is a stressed tree. A good number of my trees don't look grear. Down here in stl we had all that rain then a dry hot two weeks. I suppose you just had similar.

Hmmm. What is the prognosis? I dunno.

Could be Oak Decline, which is usually a combo of things that kills oak within several years.

Oak Decline info

Verticillium wilt damage also looks similar to that, and can attack and kill at least a couple of Red Oak species.

Chris, would you say the leaves from the uppermost portions of the tree's crown are those falling off, or are they coming from everywhere on the tree? Also, as far as you're aware, is there any presence of oak wilt in your immediate vicinity-say, the nearest several city blocks?

+oM

call your county extension office.. to find out about oak wilt in your county ...

ken

From the last picture does it look like interior shaded leaves are what has dropped first? That and curl are a sign of moisture problems aren't they?

They can be. Unfortunately, they are also diagnostic for oak wilt, although I would have expected much earlier (in the growing season) leaf senescence and falling off than here in mid-August.

+oM

as far as I can see it's the lower leaves wilting more. I will check with binoculars when i get home. it's a tall tree.

It's pretty much the whole tree now. Some green sections here and there but mostly brownish

Sure doesn't look good, although I'd guess you know that already. Might be time to bring in an expert-on site-to sort out what's going on here. I think we may have exhausted what can be done remotely.

+oM

Chris, there isn't the chance the tree was hit by lightning, is there? Usually a strip of bark gets blasted off from up in the branches on down the trunk. But sometimes, the exploded bark doesn't extend to the ground-you might not see it. Lightning can cook a big tree pretty quickly-over a matter of days to weeks for leaf loss or senescence. Just a thought.

+oM

I will have a look with the binoculars again. Thanks for the tip

an arborist came out and is of the opinion the tree is dead. they are going to attempt to determine what killed it. really sucks. and now I'm worried i inadvertently killed it. not sure what kills a tree this way

It does look dead to me as well. Too bad, that was a nice oak tree. Please tell us what killed it if you ever find out.

There was always that possibility. The tree is old and simply died.

Sorry to hear that Chris.

Best regards,

Dax

update. Tree is getting removed next week. We had several arborists look at it and the most common assessment was that having sod installed 2 years ago likely killed it. they did some light rototilling which may have damaged too many roots. also the heavy watering that followed the install might have hurt it as well. really really blows. but I wanted to follow up so that the info is out there, installing new sod might kill your oak tree. be careful.

When we do assessments on trees, the first thing many of us do is look down. Root damage is a common problem.

I'd have expected a longer, more drawn-out die-back if root system impairment via sod install, etc. Still gotta wonder about oak wilt, IMO.

+oM

they sent a sample down to univ of illinois to test it for oak wilt and it came back negative. though the city forester still thinks it could be oak wilt and is encouraging us to take tree down quickly and remove all of it. it's a bit of a mystery

I'm not accustomed to seeing large trees die suddenly like this excepting cases already noted, things like oak wilt or certain lightening strikes. Usually, a much more drawn out misery, sections declining at a time. Most unusual. Hmmmm?

+oM

Definitely not an everyday occurrence, Tom, maybe something in the amendment or on the tines of the rototiller, maybe herbicide if you go down that path.

But soil disturbance/construction/landscaping, also hydrology changes are common factors in such failures. Both apply here & likely several factors working together & I'd weight toward hydrology, especially if dripline wasn't irrigated prior.

In my experience, which is getting to be quite extensive, root disturbance via construction in all its myriad forms leads to a slow death spiral, this lead dying, that branch failing, and almost without exception, starting at the top of the tree. I'm pretty sure this isn't that. The chemical idea bears further examination though: could a dicamba-based, or heaven help us-Imprelis-style turf herbicide have been used in the vicinity recently? Or has that already been ruled out? I tend to get lost in these threads eventually and don't necessarily go back and re-read every dang time. But that just does not present as root disturbance via construction damage-and I'm lumping the sod install under this heading-to me.

+oM

Am I the only one who noticed that this tree is growing right through the utility lines? I would bet that the utility company/companies killed it. Here in St. Louis they climb and hack trees that are 20 feet away from their lines..... Who knows what they are allowed to do to trees that are cut ally growing through the actual wires?

Hi Nancy, power companies sure have been enforcing their right of ways 'round here since them disasters they had in the 2000's where some folks were w/o power for a week. I hear the state house did not want a whole neighborhood to sue the homeowner who planted the tree which violated the right of way of the lines and brought them down so they compelled Ameren to launch that "Power On" campaign.

My big oak (the previous owners planted) even got pruned twice since then. One time I left a case of soda and water out for the guys the other I tried tontip them for cutting back a stump. They refused my money amd hooked me up anyway.

I suppose all the open wounds on trees during the wrong time of year very much could invite a sudden oak death or other infection.....

That's just the service drop from the distribution to the house. The utility company did not prune that tree to cause that damage, as can be seen by the pix.