Starhill Forest Arboretum – Extreme Drought!

We usually like to share photos of our plants looking their best, but with the conditions over the last few months, there are a lot of plants that aren’t looking so hot. A late frost, extreme drought, herbicide drift, and all the usual diseases and pests make for a challenging year for trees. Here’s a look at some of the problems we’re seeing on our oaks right now. We could use a professional plant pathologist in the oak collection!

If you would like to learn more about some of the insect, disease, and environmental problems affecting oaks, check out this excellent report from the U of I Plant Clinic: https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/plant-clinic-report-oak.pdf