Oak wilt in the Texas Hill Country: what to know and who to call.
Texas A&M Forest Service calls oak wilt one of the deadliest tree diseases in the US. It has killed millions of trees across 76 Texas counties. If an oak on your place is dropping leaves, here's how to tell what's going on, and we can match you, free, with an independent licensed arborist who does oak wilt work.
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- Boerne, Kerrville, Fredericksburg & the Hill Country
The 60-second version
- Live oaks: the classic sign is veinal necrosis, where leaf veins turn yellow, then brown, followed by fast leaf drop. Most infected live oaks die within 1–6 months of symptoms.
- Red oaks (Spanish, Shumard, blackjack) can die within weeks and can grow fungal mats that spread the disease to new areas.
- It spreads through roots, about 75 feet per year on average, so one sick live oak can put a whole mott at risk.
- Don't prune oaks February–June, and paint every oak wound immediately.
Source: Texas A&M (AgriLife / Forest Service). Full symptom guide.
If your oak is dying
- Stop pruning or cutting nearby oaks.
- Photograph leaves and the whole tree.
- Get a diagnosis from a qualified arborist or the Texas A&M Forest Service. A lab test confirms it.
- Ask about protecting nearby healthy oaks (injection, trenching).
- Check for financial help before work starts.
Financial help that actually exists
Boerne: the city reimburses $5 per inch of trunk diameter for treatment (up to $1,500/yr) and part of removal costs, inside city limits only, subject to funding. That offsets part of a typical bill, not the whole job. Details.
Central Texas: Texas A&M Forest Service runs the federal Texas Oak Wilt Suppression Program, available since 1988 across Central Texas. It can pay up to 50% of approved costs for root-barrier trenching (up to $5,000 per landowner per year, or $7,500 for multi-landowner projects), for pushing/roguing trees inside the trench (up to $5,000), and for removing certain diseased red oaks (up to $2,000). It doesn't cover fungicide injection. A forester must confirm the disease and your application must be approved before work starts.
Local pages
Boerne
City incentive program, honestly explained.
Kerrville
City oak pruning and wound-painting rules, plus local resources.
Fredericksburg
Gillespie County extension help and acreage tips.
How our service works
- Tell us about your trees.
- We match you with an independent arborist serving your area.
- They inspect and quote. You decide. Pricing is between you and them.
Common questions
My oak is dying. What should I do first?
1) Don't prune, cut, or wound any nearby oaks, especially February through June. 2) Take photos of the leaves (look for yellow veins turning brown) and of the whole tree. 3) Note whether nearby oaks or neighbors' oaks are also declining. 4) Get a qualified arborist or your Texas A&M Forest Service forester to diagnose it. A lab test confirms oak wilt. 5) Ask about protecting nearby healthy oaks, since the disease spreads through connected roots. 6) If it's a dead red oak, ask about prompt removal and proper disposal, and don't keep it as firewood.
How does oak wilt spread?
Through connected roots, mainly in live oaks (about 75 ft per year on average), and by sap beetles carrying spores from fungal mats on dead red oaks to fresh wounds.
When should I avoid pruning oaks?
February through June, according to Texas A&M Forest Service. Paint every oak wound right away, any time of year.
Do you treat trees?
No. We are a free referral service that connects you with independent licensed arborists.