oak wilt

noun

, Plant Pathology.

1. a disease of oaks, characterized by wilting and discoloration of the leaves and defoliation, usually starting at and spreading from the top of the tree and the ends of the branches, caused by a fungus, Chalara quercina.

Word History and Origins

Origin of oak wilt¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

Dr. Robert C. Venette, a research biologist and director of the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center, is paying close attention to multiple invasive species, including "several bark beetles, emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, hemlock wooly adelgid, oak wilt, Palmer amaranth and Japanese knotweed, among others."

From Salon

Residents might also notice a fungal disease on trees called oak wilt disease.

From Washington Times

White oaks are also able to efficiently plug the water-conducting, tubelike cells called vessels in their wood with tyloses, balloonlike structures that seal the vessels as a barrier against deadly fungal diseases such as oak wilt.

From Scientific American

They add that it is nearly impossible to detect diseases, like thousand cankers disease, which affects walnut trees or oak wilt in oak trees, just by looking at the wood.

From Washington Times

The Department of Environmental Conservation says oak wilt was confirmed in the Yates County town of Middlesex after a homeowner contacted the agency to report several oak trees dropping leaves in July and rapidly dying.

From Washington Times