Monterrey Oaks are generally healthy trees. They are heartier than the live oak so they are not as susceptible to some of the diseases or pest problems that the live oak has to deal with. That is not to say that the Mexican White Oak is a perfect tree with no issues whatsoever. However, the tree is generally safe to plant with little effort required to let it grow and flourish.
This tree performs best in well-drained or rocky soil. It does not do well in clay soil. Why? Clay soil is too wet. Monterrey Oaks are sensitive to being overly wet. After you plant it, you should not water it too often unless, of course, it is during the hottest, driest part of the summer.
Occasionally, Monterrey Oaks can be susceptible to certain oak diseases such as powdery mildew. Powdery Mildew occurs on all types of oaks. The infected leaves have a faint, indistinct spot on the upper leaf surface and an off-white powdery growth on the lower surface. The fungus will most often be found along the veins and midribs of the leaf. In severe cases, infected leaves will be slightly disfigured.
If the Monterrey Oak gets too stressed – which is difficult to do – it can develop Hypoxylon Cankers. The fungus invades the tree through injured surfaces on its limbs and trunk. The disease is first event as dieback of one or more branches. The foliage of the diseased limb turns yellow and dies. This continues until the tree itself dies.
Hypoxylon Cankers infect the inner bark of the tree. This causes the outer bark to slough off, exposing large masses of brown, dusty spores which disseminate. What is left behind is a grayish surface covered with many black fruiting bodies. The fungus can also cause black to brown discoloration in the sapwood which can be observed in a cross-section of the wood.
However, as mentioned before, Monterrey Oaks if planted in good soil and watered only when it’s hot and dry should not cause you many problems. Sometimes, the canopy needs to be pruned. Again, the Mexican White Oak doesn’t need this service as often as live oaks do.
Overall, the Monterrey Oak is a tree that requires little maintenance and care. You can plant it and let it do its thing. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t watch the tree and look out for signs of disease or other problems. We hope this article has given you some information on the Monterrey Oak.
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