Emerald Ash Borer and Oak Wilt at the Lake of the Ozarks: What to Watch For

A lot of the tree and plant health calls we get around Camden County and Morgan County come down to two problems in particular: emerald ash borer in ash trees, and oak wilt in oaks. Both are serious, both are more manageable the earlier they are caught, and both are worth knowing the early signs of if you have mature ash or oak on your property. That goes for full time residents and weekenders alike.

Emerald ash borer

Emerald ash borer is an invasive pest that attacks ash trees specifically. The insect's larvae feed under the bark, in the layer of the tree that actually moves water and nutrients up from the roots. A heavily infested ash tree can decline and die within a few years of the first signs showing, and because the damage is happening under the bark, a tree can be much further along than it looks from the ground.

Things worth keeping an eye on with your own ash trees: thinning or dying branches starting at the top of the canopy and working down, bark that splits or cracks in vertical lines, small D-shaped exit holes in the bark where adult beetles have emerged, and increased woodpecker activity, since woodpeckers feed on the larvae and heavy woodpecker damage on an ash trunk is often a sign of an infestation already underway. If you own a mature ash tree near the lake and notice any of that, it's worth having it looked at rather than waiting to see if it gets worse on its own.

Oak wilt

Oak wilt is a fungal disease that spreads through an oak's water-conducting tissue, and it moves two ways: through root connections between neighboring oaks, which is why oak wilt can spread through a stand of trees rather than staying isolated to one, and through beetles that carry fungal spores from an infected tree to a fresh wound on a healthy one. That second route is exactly why we're careful about when we do pruning work on oaks and why an unplanned wound on an oak, from a storm break, a lawnmower, or a piece of equipment, isn't something to ignore.

Watch for leaves that wilt, discolor, or drop out of season, especially starting at the top of the tree and moving down, and for that decline to happen relatively fast compared to normal seasonal changes. Red oaks in particular can decline within weeks of infection. If several oaks near each other start showing the same pattern around the same time, that's consistent with the disease spreading through connected root systems, and it's worth a proper look before more trees are affected.

What we actually do about it

Our tree and plant health care service covers diagnosis and treatment of invasive pests and disease, including these two, along with fertilization, pest control, and health programs custom to what a particular tree or property needs. For a tree that's already declining, that might mean treatment aimed at slowing or stopping the problem. For a property with healthy ash or oak trees nearby, it can mean a proper evaluation now, before symptoms show up, so you know what you're dealing with and what your options are while there are still options.

• Property evaluation from our arborist consultation service, looking specifically at ash and oak health alongside overall tree condition.
• A tailored management plan rather than a one-size-fits-all treatment.
• Guidance on new tree selection and placement if a declining tree needs to come out and be replaced, factoring in the site, soil, mature size, nearby utilities, and how much upkeep you're realistically able to commit to.

Second homes and the lake

A good number of the ash and oak trees we're asked about belong to owners who aren't at the lake every week. If you split your time between here and somewhere else, the practical answer is the same one we give for any tree work at a property you're not standing in front of: a free on-site estimate, typically scheduled within a week, where we can look the tree over, tell you plainly what we're seeing, and put together a plan you can approve from wherever you are.

If you have mature ash or oak trees on your property around Camdenton, Osage Beach, Lake Ozark, Sunrise Beach, Laurie, or Gravois Mills and something about them doesn't look right, don't wait on it. Give us a call and we'll come take a look.