What is this on oak leaves?

[Dmay]

It's on over 50% of the leaves on our two oak trees.


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[Trochu]

Looks like a woolly oak gall.

[ron anderson]

Oak trees in Alberta? ... I've never seen one ...

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by ron anderson

Oak trees in Alberta? ... I've never seen one ...

Burr oak can grow here, I've seen them in both Calgary & Edmonton. In Calgary they're able to survive winter chinooks

[fishnguy]

Quite a few oak trees in Peace River in people’s yards.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Burr oak can grow here, I've seen them in both Calgary & Edmonton. In Calgary they're able to survive winter chinooks

Mother in law grew one from seed in Lakeview. It’s really large now.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Dmay

It's on over 50% of the leaves on our two oak trees.


[IMG][/IMG]

You need to remove all leaves completely from the yard. If it’s that bad this year it will be worse next year. Plucking infected leaves and burning the. To destroy the larvae is recommended.

I do the same with my Saskatoon mummy berry problem. Has helped quite a bit.

[fishnguy]

^ I read a while back that they do not affect the host plant. Could be wrong as it was some time ago.

[Dewey Cox]

If you're in Edmonton and want to have a gander at some oak trees, in Hawrelak Park at the back of the loop there is a few by the bathrooms.
It is the only place I've seen an acorn in real life.
Also the only place I've ever seen flying squirrels in real life. The pass through there in the fall, and at dark you can see them flying between those oak trees.

[vinny]

Woolly Oak Gall is not damaging to the tree. There are lots of Bur Oak in Alberta. They do well. The one in my backyard gives us hundreds of acorns a year. In the fall, collect them, put them in a moist ziplock bag of peat moss and put it in the fridge for a few months. Early in the year, start them in pots. Keep them moist and warm and you’ll have Oak seedlings like crazy! My daughter sells them in the spring for some spending money. 😁

[3blade]

Originally Posted by ron anderson

Oak trees in Alberta? ... I've never seen one ...

Squirrels put one in my yard and it’s been growing well for several years, and I’ve seen them planted in St. Albert.

Must be climate change. Probably have to pay an acorn tax now

[stob]

Originally Posted by ron anderson

Oak trees in Alberta? ... I've never seen one ...

Edm uni and surrounding neighborhoods have some beautiful oak trees... the forestry dept has a log of the big ones

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by vinny

In the fall, collect them, put them in a moist ziplock bag of peat moss and put it in the fridge for a few months. Early in the year, start them in pots. Keep them moist and warm and you’ll have Oak seedlings like crazy!

Do the oaks need cold stratification prior to potting? I've read they do and don't. Have you tried without, did it work?

[ron anderson]

Good enlightening thread ... I think oaks are cool and miss them from my childhood in the east ... I'll look better to see some ... thanks

[vinny]

Originally Posted by Trochu

Do the oaks need cold stratification prior to potting? I've read they do and don't. Have you tried without, did it work?

I’ve done it without. It took months to germinate. After the stratification period, they germinated much quicker. It’s just simulating what would happen in nature over the winter where the acorn would go through the cold months on the ground. I also found that if I put them in soil in the fall and they germinate, they suddenly drop their leaves in the summer. Maybe by germinating early, they go into a “false autumn” early? It’s all I could think of. It happened to a buddy that I gave a couple of seedlings to as well. But not when planted and germinated in the early spring. 🤷🏼*♂️

[Dewey Cox]

Well, now I need some oak seedlings.

[fishnguy]

I have them popping out once in a while here and there on the lawn, usually. I found that replanting them killed them every time for me. Even with the chunk of soil they started growing in.

There are no oak trees in the immediate proximity to us, but a few blocks away. Those squirrels must be travelling quite a way picking that food and hiding it all over the place. This year one popped up on the side of the planting box and I have been careful around it, though it doesn’t belong there and will have to be moved or just dug over. Went to snap a pic now, lol. Again, this is in Peace River.



This one popped out sometime in the summer. I had garlic growing in that box, so it was easy not to touch it. The ones that usually pop up on the lawn also do so early to mid summer. And they must be quick growing because I cut the lawn at least once a week (unless we are away) and once in a while I see a “baby” oak where there wasn’t one the week prior. I cut grass fairly tall compared to most. Likely over 3 inches tall. The acorns that they grow from are usually just below the surface. I wouldn’t think they are that hard to grow.

[Dmay]

Thanks for the replies.
We planted these two oaks twenty one years ago. They grow pretty slow.

[Lornce]

Here is a map in Calgary if you want to see what trees are in your neighborhood.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Dmay

Thanks for the replies.
We planted these two oaks twenty one years ago. They grow pretty slow.

I'd love to see a picture of your burr oaks. I just planted one at my lake property. They're generational trees...you plant them for the grandkids to enjoy.