Prevention and Treatment of Oak Wilt

The most effective strategy for managing Oak Wilt is prevention. Here’s what you can do:

• Avoid wounding oaks during the high-risk period (April through July in the northern hemisphere), when the beetles that spread the disease are most active. However, most arborists avoid pruning of oak trees from April to October to avoid creating entry wounds for this devastating fungus.
• Painting pruning cuts (a.k.a. oak wilt paint) is no longer a recommended practice in arboriculture. Arborists will use a sterilant, such as a solution of rubbing alcohol, to seal off fresh wounds and accelerate drying in order to make wounds less attractive to the fungus.
• Avoid moving Oak firewood. Oak Wilt can be spread with the movement of infected oak firewood. Assume any firewood from a dead oak tree is a potential vector of Oak Wilt disease.
• If a tree is infected, it should be removed and properly disposed of to prevent the disease from spreading (according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency guidelines). Do not stockpile wood from infected trees.
• In areas where Oak Wilt is common (United States), the prevention of oak wilt may include the creation a buffer zone by severing the roots around infected trees.
• If you suspect that a tree may be infected with Oak Wilt, it’s important to contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
• Our Certified Arborists are trained to recognize oak pests and can assist in evaluating your beautiful oak trees for Oak Wilt.