Oak Tree Leaves

[Hollywood]

I have never seen all of the Live Oak Tree leaves turn brown. I am located S/W of Austin. Drove into my neighborhood yesterday afternoon & noticed all of the Oak trees were brown, Milk chocolate brown. I guess we will be raking leaves for a while. Hope all the trees make it.
Anyone else notice this around the state?

[Huntindad]

Yep, I noticed it here. I am out by Liberty Hill. I think it is a combination of... close to the time they drop their leaves and the ice storm.

[gneimeth]

Same here in Round Rock - not something we see normally!

[TxArcheo]

Same here in S Austin...hope my trees make it too. Hopefully one of the resident TBH arborists can provide some info/feedback.

[Antlers86]

Just spoke to a local tree farm and they have $20M in losses from Live Oaks.

[Antlers86]

My arborists said they are all in shock mode. Will drop their leaves soon and put on new leaves in the next month or 2. His words “might be a little rough sleddin for a while”.

He believes they will survive. We just planed 100 at the ranch and have some large native ones as well. All look like this.

[44mAG]

All of my live oaks look the same way. I really really hope that this doesn't kill them all. All of mine are very mature trees.

[Walker]

All my monterreys turned brown. Chickapins were budding yet.

[44mAG]

Back in 83 and 89, I know it was cold for a long time, but was there the ice and snow accumulation during those years? I'm too young to remember.

It scares me that these tress had 1/2" of ice covering every inch of them for almost a week.

[N.DaWoods]

Hopefully, the warm weather and sunshine, will help nature heal itself.

[bloodtrailer28]

All of mine look the same out at the house.

[Hollywood]

Hopefully they drop all those leaves & grow new ones quick.
Let's all pray if the little white moths laid eggs in them, they all froze & fall with the leaves. Last thing we need is a bunch of worms eating the new growth.

[jay07ag]

From what I understand, they are in shock and should make it (unless they are subject to another bad drought this summer or something like that).

[McClain]

Originally Posted by 44mAG

Back in 83 and 89, I know it was cold for a long time, but was there the ice and snow accumulation during those years? I'm too young to remember.

It scares me that these tress had 1/2" of ice covering every inch of them for almost a week.

If covered in ice before the coldest weather hit, I would think that would be a good thing - should have provided some much needed insulation that way,

[Shane]

It happens every year around Abilene. They shed leaves a couple times a year. A hard freeze will do it.

[IvoryRoot]

Mine live oaks are looking pretty rough as well. I have a pin oak that looks great too.

[bsills]

I am surprised the ones in San Antonio look green as ever.

[speck1]

All of mine in Boerne are brown as well. Glad someone posted this. I was worried about them. My olive trees got hammered. Hope they survive.

[Kossetx]

Plenty of live oaks in Ntex and OK. They'll be fine. Mine were touching the ground and have recovered completely in height. Kinda amazing.

[bowhuntertx]

Like others have mentioned, it just shock/survival mode. Its the trees way of conserving energy. They will molt or shed these leaves and grow to keep from having to send nutrients to all the leaves. You may have seen similar occurrences when its severe drought/heat

[flywise]

Mine as well, hoping not a permanent thing as a result of the weather

[eaglegolfj]

I think with the hard freeze we had would cause this, but I dont think it would harm the trees.

[Button]

Mighty fine compost is in the making with all the dead leaf

[sasqy]

I’m hoping to not have issues !
I am concerned to say the least, my whole hill is live oaks and they look horrible.

[ThisLadyHunts]

Originally Posted by Huntindad

Yep, I noticed it here. I am out by Liberty Hill. I think it is a combination of... close to the time they drop their leaves and the ice storm.

This.

They also typically drop some acorns in February. I didn't see many of those this year either.

[RifleBowPistol]

Yep, I just noticed today, when I was in Universal City, that the live oak leaves were very brown. I have never seen or heard of live oak leaves turning brown after a freeze.

You know you have had a serious freeze when the live oak leaves die, hopefully not the trees. If the stories about the two very hard freezes back in the early 1900s and then one in the 1920s, are true. Then I would say these trees will survive. There are a lot of live oaks around, that are well over 200 years old, but then there are a lot more, that are 80 years old and less. Maybe one of the reasons there are not more of those 200 to 400 year old live oaks around, hopefully that's not the case.

[Humper]

Originally Posted by McClain

If covered in ice before the coldest weather hit, I would think that would be a good thing - should have provided some much needed insulation that way,

[44mAG]

I drove from Dripping Springs to Mason yesterday. If my trees are dying, so is every live oak between Dripping Springs and Fredericksburg as they were all desert tan colored.
The interesting thing is that the further north I went, the greener the trees got. Hopefully that doesn't mean they were more hardy and used to cold temps.


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[Hollywood]

My pool cleaner pump motor went out & my leaf net broke yesterday, pool looks like a compost bin. Guess what I will be doing Saturday when all my parts get delivered.
My trees are now looking like bare Pecan trees, I sure hope to see some new growth soon.

[SAC]

I have 2 Monterey oaks planted last Feb. Called the guy who planted them asking what I needed to do to protect them. His reply, "Mix a stiff drink, stay warm and relax. They're fine" We'll see.

[tlh2865]

Originally Posted by McClain

If covered in ice before the coldest weather hit, I would think that would be a good thing - should have provided some much needed insulation that way,

This here. Holding ice or snow is a good thing for insulation purposes

[jlp04c]

Originally Posted by 44mAG

I drove from Dripping Springs to Mason yesterday. If my trees are dying, so is every live oak between Dripping Springs and Fredericksburg as they were all desert tan colored.
The interesting thing is that the further north I went, the greener the trees got. Hopefully that doesn't mean they were more hardy and used to cold temps.


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I've been telling myself the same thing... If I'm losing my trees then literally EVERY SINGLE live oak will be dying with them. They all look the same way right now.

Except for the very few that are on south sides of structures etc.

[TexaswBOWhunter]

Same here in Montgomery around Lake Conroe, the leaves are now dropping like I have never seen before. Hope they make it like stated above!

[roberts]

I have the same thing going on in North Austin. I am hoping that the trees will survive as I have some mature live oaks that I would hate to lose. I will spending the next couple of weekends cleaning up leaves, as I have all of the downed branches cleaned up now.

[jlp04c]

If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on them surviving. But I was stunned in my research to learn that they are not nearly as cold hardy as I thought they were. There preferred range (to not induce shock) is only in the 20's based on what google is saying!

[tdwinklr]

mine are the same but have done that before. I was concerned but they always come out of it.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Had all the leaves picked up today. Still have a lot of green leaves in the canope.

Just about every palm tree looks dead.................

[60 Deluxe]

Ours started shedding leaves on Sunday. They are mostly bare now. We are hoping for a good hard wind to blow them away and spread them out. The wife and I just raked and cleaned up acorns for the third time this past Saturday. The sap was down, so they should be alright. It is a good thing that the cold hit when it did.

[ThisLadyHunts]

Same here in Far South Austin. We got home on Sunday afternoon and noticed all the leaves were brown and most of them were on the driveway having fallen of in the winds.

[bugleboy]

Looks like most of the replies are from central and south Texas. Plenty of our trees in north Texas are just like that too. I think they will survive too. At least I sure hope so!!!

[3ChordTruth]

Originally Posted by bugleboy

Looks like most of the replies are from central and south Texas. Plenty of our trees in north Texas are just like that too. I think they will survive too. At least I sure hope so!!!

X2

And tomorrow my live oaks are getting a good, slow soaking in, big drink of water since it has been so dry here in North TX.

[Clark]

Originally Posted by 3ChordTruth

X2

And tomorrow my live oaks are getting a good, slow soaking in, big drink of water since it has been so dry here in North TX.

South Austin, the majority of my oaks leaves dropped Sunday and Monday.
It was fairly dramatic, never seen them do it like that.
I watered them good today, what else can you do?

[Hart8]

Relax..Seen it in 2012..They'll put back on,and grow like a fat boy;at church camp.

[TxAg]

They've been here for thousands of years. They will be ok.

https://texastreesurgeons.com/blog/2...ve-oak-freeze/

[8pointer]

It will be interesting to see what affects we notice with the acorn crop during deer season.

[Briar Friar]

Originally Posted by 8pointer

It will be interesting to see what affects we notice with the acorn crop during deer season.

What TXAg said. They evolved in this climate and are better adapted than we humans are. Live oaks are semievergreen and their leaves turn brown about this time of year every year...drop the old leaves and push the new leaves out in spring.

IMO...
Wet year...fat and plentiful
Dry year...skinny and plentiful
The stress from the freeze will send them into reproduction mode. It seemed the crop was light last year around my place. This ice storm and deep freeze might throw them into a boom and bust carbohydrate cycle for a couple years...at least the homegrown dry crop acorns.

Its funny to see people raking all the live oak leaves when:
1) the oaks need the nutrients for next year and mulching provided from their leaves especially in the coming summer months
2) there are still a crap ton of live oak leaves still on theirs and their neighbors trees...seems like an exercise in futility... for now.

[BigL]

Originally Posted by Clark

South Austin, the majority of my oaks leaves dropped Sunday and Monday.
It was fairly dramatic, never seen them do it like that.
I watered them good today, what else can you do?

N. Austin a lot dropped on Sunday and today. Dang pool seems to catch them all.

Water them good is probably all you can do right now and just wait and see. It's close to when they would start dropping and getting new leaves so hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll start to see some new growth on them.

[Copedog]

Some of my live oaks look pretty sparse, others semi normal. Leads me to think its just the normal cycle here in the Hill Country.

Still waiting to see what took a hit in the landscape beds. Spineless cactus dropped some branches/patties, holly's look burned, but my Parry's agave looks to have made it.

Time will tell.

Cope

[Big_gun]

mine are dropping green leaves or were... should be ok i raked up ate least a dump truck load this past weekend not sure if live oak leaves are the best for compost, but thought about starting a pile! lol

[cva34]

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Hopefully they drop all those leaves & grow new ones quick.
Let's all pray if the little white moths laid eggs in them, they all froze & fall with the leaves. Last thing we need is a bunch of worms eating the new growth.

YEP! i hope you right on all accounts....Mine dumped leaves time will tell