Oak Tatters - Oak Tree Tatters Disease

This article was published originally on 5/28/2004
Byline:
by Christine Engelbrecht, Department of Plant Pathology
The Plant Disease Clinic has received reports of oak trees with deformed leaves in Scott County and Iowa County. The oak leaves look as if they have been eaten away by insects, with the tissue between the veins almost entirely missing, giving the leaves a lacy or tattered appearance. From a distance the trees may appear to lack leaves or be pale in color. Symptoms appear when leaves begin to emerge on the trees, generally middle to late May. White oaks are the most commonly reported with these symptoms, although the damage also has been seen on members of the red oak group, hackberry, and other tree species.
Oak tatters is the name commonly given to this disorder. The cause of oak tatters is unknown

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