Managing Oak Wilt Disease

A Technical Report from The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories

Oak wilt is a lethal disease that affects all native oak species in the eastern half of the United States. Species in the red oak group are highly susceptible to oak wilt disease. The disease is caused by the fungus, Bretziella fagacearum, which colonizes the vascular system of many oak species causing wilting, branch dieback and death of affected trees.