sickly oak?

[neiln]

ive seen a couple of oak trees around here with leaves looking small, reddened and shrivelled, often trees right beside are fine.  is this a sign of sickness ?  or just leaves opening slowly? or?  poor photo, sorry. 

 

 

[Treeation]

Not much to go on there as photo only shows limited crown but looks as normal

[Khriss]

Bit early fr Oak Processionary moths, which can do that, is all i can guess at ? K

[ABtrees]

I've had a similar thing (and had the same last year).  Those trees fully recovered. 

 

We have endless bugs and beasties here and, though I could easily be wrong (and I have lost some Oaks & Hornbeams to those recently), I think it might be frost damage. 

 

I have a big old Oak (around 25m+ and 1.2m DBH) and last year the I noticed the leaf buds open a couple of days before a significant frost (-5C or more) - a week later it looked the same as your photo.  About that time the Oaks next to it came into leaf and they were fine.  The damaged one lost most of its leaves but then grew some more about a month later.  Interestingly this year I noticed it was late opening (a week or more behind the others) -  I like to think it learned a lesson but far more likely it was still recovering from last years setback !  

 

All of this is pure conjecture on my part - I would love someone on here to confirm my oddball theory with a bit of science - pls.

[openspaceman]

5 hours ago, neiln said:

ive seen a couple of oak trees around here with leaves looking small, reddened and shrivelled, often trees right beside are fine.  is this a sign of sickness ?  or just leaves opening slowly? or?  poor photo, sorry. 

 

 

Do you notice little green caterpillars descending on a silken thread?

 

Tortrix viridana comes in waves, sometimes you won#t see any but others it will strip an oak as it flushes.

 

The oak will try and replace lost leaves with ones containing more tannin

[neiln]

Oak pressissionary moth exists close-ish I know, didn't see any though, they are very hairy Caterpillar aren't they?  And obvious as they walk in line.

 

Doubt it's frost damage, I'm South London near crystal palace.  Saw the first at a small wood called Biggin wood (photod) about 2 weeks ago.  Then saw one at another narrow strip of trees at Beaulah spa.  Given we've had very few frosts be and oaks immediately adjacent aren't affected frost seems unlikely.... But then tbh I have no idea.

 

I think nearest moth location is about 5 or 6 miles away, maybe less.

[neiln]

a few other photos I took of the tree in biggin wood a couple of weeks ago.  Biggin wood used to be managed woodland but hasn't been for a hundred years or more so it's heavily oaked but a lot of to dense, tall and thin trees.

 this is the tree at the base

[neiln]

a view up into the canopy.  remember was a couple of weeks ago, the oaks are just about in full leaf here now and weren't then, although this one seemed a bit sparse compared to others

[neiln]

one last close up of a few odd leaves at the base