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Sudden Oak Death

Phytophthora ramorum

54 host plants

Last updated

Data Coverage 3 of 6 dimensions
Causal Agent
Host Plants
Symptoms
Management
GDD Threshold
Regional Notes

Sudden oak death causes rapid tree decline, with canopies turning from green to brown in just a few weeks. The hallmark symptom is brown or black bleeding cankers on the lower trunk that exude sticky reddish-brown sap. You'll see a distinctive dark-reddish margin around the canker in the bark and wood. This disease has appeared in Curry County southwest Oregon on tanoak, but Oregon white oak has shown good resistance in testing.

While sudden oak death hasn't established itself widely in many areas, the risk of introduction is real. Your primary responsibility is not transporting infected plant material, soil, or firewood from California or the infected areas in Oregon. If you spot suspicious symptoms on oak or tanoak trees, report them immediately to the Oregon Department of Agriculture. When importing nursery stock, purchase only from certified P. ramorum-free sources.

Quick Reference

Causal Agent
Phytophthora ramorum
Host Plants
54

Management

Cultural Controls

  • Control efforts in Oregon are focused on containing the pathogen where it is found in forests and preventing new infections beyond the current quarantine area.
  • Within the quarantine area, the quarantine requirements vary depending upon your location.
  • For the most current quarantine requirements, please contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
  • Do not transport firewood, other susceptible plant material, or soil from diseased areas in California or southwest Oregon.
  • Wash shoes, vehicles, bikes, etc. if you visit infested areas of California or southwest Oregon.
  • Contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture if you see or suspect trees or plants in Oregon with symptoms of this disease.

Host Plants (54)

Lithocarpus densiflorus Tanoak Tanbark-oak Notholithocarpus densiflorus Tanoak Tanbark-oak Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides Shrub, Tanoak Shrub, Tanbark-oak Quercus acutissima Sawtooth Oak Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak Quercus alba (Eastern) White Oak Quercus arizonica Arizona Oak, Arizona White Oak Quercus berberidifolia California Scrub Oak, Scrub Oak, Inland Scrub Oak Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak Quercus bimundorum Two Worlds Oak, Bimundors Oak Quercus castaneifolia Chestnut-leaved Oak, Chestnutleaf Oak, Persian Oak Quercus cerris Turkey Oak Quercus chrysolepis Canyon Live Oak Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak Quercus douglasii Blue Oak, California Blue Oak Quercus durata Leather Oak Quercus emoryi Emory Oak, Black Oak, Blackjack Oak Quercus engelmannii Engelmann Oak, Mesa Oak Quercus frainetto Hungarian Oak, Italian Oak Quercus gambelii Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain White Oak Quercus garryana Oregon White Oak Quercus garryana var. breweri Brewer's Oak Quercus glandulifera Konara Oak Quercus glauca Japanese Blue Oak, Ring-cupped Oak Quercus hypoleucoides Silverleaf Oak, Whiteleaf Oak Quercus ilex Holly, Oak, Holm Oak Quercus ilicifolia Bear Oak Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak Quercus kelloggii California Black Oak Quercus leana Lea's Oak Quercus lobata Valley Oak, Roble Oak, California White Oak Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak, Mossycup Oak Quercus marilandica Blackjack Oak, Jack Oak Quercus mongolica Mongolian Oak Quercus montana Mountain Chestnut, Oak, Chestnut, Oak, Rock Chestnust Oak Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Yellow Chestnut, Oak Quercus myrsinifolia Chinese Evergreen Oak, Bamboo-leaf Oak Quercus nigra Water Oak, Possum Oak Quercus palustris Pin Oak, Swamp Spanish Oak Quercus petraea Sessile Oak, Durmast Oak, Irish Oak Quercus phellos Willow, Oak Quercus prinoides Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, Dwarf Chestnut, Oak, Scrub Chestnut, Oak Quercus robur English Oak Quercus rubra Northern Red Oak Quercus sadleriana Sadler Oak, Deer Oak Quercus stellata Post Oak Quercus suber Cork Oak Quercus turbinella Scrub Live Oak Quercus undulata Wavyleaved Oak Quercus vaccinifolia Huckleberry, Oak Quercus velutina Black Oak Quercus virginiana Southern Live Oak, Live Oak Quercus wislizeni Interior Live Oak, Chapparal Oak Umbellularia californica Oregon Myrtle, California Bay California-laurel