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March 4, 2025Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa DNR urges caution on pruning oak trees

oak tree

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is warning residents to stop pruning oak trees immediately due to unseasonably warm temperatures that have increased the risk of oak wilt.

Typically, pruning should stop by mid-March, but forest health program leader Tivon Feeley says the warm February weather has pushed up that timeline.

Oak wilt is a deadly fungal disease that spreads through open wounds and root grafts, particularly affecting red, black, and pin oaks.

Symptoms, which appear in June or July, include browning along leaf edges and defoliation starting from the top of the tree. To prevent infection, avoid wounding oak trees during the growing season.

If pruning or storm damage occurs, immediately treat wounds with acrylic paint, but avoid commercial pruning sealants. For more information on oak wilt prevention, visit iowadnr.gov/oakwilt.