[Tetlee]

We have a lovely oak tree at the bottom of our garden, not sure how old it is but well over 100 we think.

Anyway, we're wondering if it's diseased and if so if there's much risk to the thing coming down in a storm. Reasons we suspect this is for a start it seems to drop quite a lot the smaller branches, and these always feel very dry and weak, easy to snap with an almost hollow feel, and now it's dropping what appear to be mutated acorns (for want of a better description). The funny thing is we get the occasional normal acorn, but these are rare and the garden is full of the mutated ones, like walking over a load of gravel at the moment.

Bit of a long shot but incase there is anyone here that knows about these things, any opinions? Wondering if we should call a tree surgeon in but don't want to spend money on that if we don't need to.

A few pics below...

The tree itself.

Close up of the mutated acorn.

A normal acorn on the tree beside it's ugly relatives.

Again, a rare normal acron beside the typical knarly ones that fill the tree(and garden).

[Rorifett]

Not a tree surgeon Lee but a word of warning, I'm sure I've seen that first acorn in your hand leading the mutated plants in Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors...

[mabo]

I think your mutated acorns are caused by gall wasps which lay their eggs inside - Knopper gall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, there are loads of different types of them and they all look similarly weird.

Edit: Nicked from the RHS site regarding control -

None is necessary. Gall wasps do not cause any serious damage even when abundant. In some years many acorns will be converted into knopper galls, but in other years galling is at a low level. Over a period of time sufficient viable acorns will be produced to ensure the future of oak trees.

[Tetlee]

Originally Posted by Rorifett

Not a tree surgeon Lee but a word of warning, I'm sure I've seen that first acorn in your hand leading the mutated plants in Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors...

Showing your age again there Rory

Originally Posted by mabo

I think your mutated acorns are caused by gall wasps which lay their eggs inside - Knopper gall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, there are loads of different types of them and they all look similarly weird.

Edit: Nicked from the RHS site regarding control -

Cheers for that mabo, you're a star, alot less concerned now

Damn those wasps must've been busy, must be hundreds of acorns still up there and 98% of them are knopper galled Just been raking up a load of the bloomin things, took me ages!

[Mr Noble]

Do you know if your Neighbours are ok about your freaky tree over hanging into their garden, cos my neighbours are not , say they want it down asap

[Fozzybear]

I was just going to say Knopper Galls as one of the oaks in my neighbourhood has a load of those, plus lots of spangle galls on the leaves. Not sure about the twigs but the oaks here drop lots of small twigs through the year and this time of year you see a lot of dropped acorns and acorn cups, it 'seems' a normal thing with oaks but I'm no arboriculturalist so if you're really concerned find a decent tree guy to assess it. That said, you don't say if it's a recent change or if it's always been like that but if it's not a new thing then it just sounds like it's the oak acting how oaks do.

[Tetlee]

Originally Posted by H3AD_SH0TZ

Do you know if your Neighbours are ok about your freaky tree over hanging into their garden, cos my neighbours are not , say they want it down asap

We're lucky as we have a stream curving around behind the back fence, and only a little of the tree overhangs our neighbours garden. Either way there's a protection order on the tree so wouldn't be able to do anything with it unless it was needed.

Originally Posted by Fozzybear

I was just going to say Knopper Galls as one of the oaks in my neighbourhood has a load of those, plus lots of spangle galls on the leaves. Not sure about the twigs but the oaks here drop lots of small twigs through the year and this time of year you see a lot of dropped acorns and acorn cups, it 'seems' a normal thing with oaks but I'm no arboriculturalist so if you're really concerned find a decent tree guy to assess it. That said, you don't say if it's a recent change or if it's always been like that but if it's not a new thing then it just sounds like it's the oak acting how oaks do.

We only moved here a couple of months ago so no idea how long these knopper galls have been around. Love the tree though so pretty relieved to discover it's not some type of disease

[la gran siete]

all trees lose a certain number of branches , its called self pruning.They also attract a certain number of pests like those already mentioned.I wouldnt worry about it

[wayne2467]

Looks a healthy tree. Why not get a tree surgeon to have a look? Wont cost much for a bit of advice.

[johnscarlet]

It may also be protected , so you might have to get it sorted whether you want to spend the money or not

[grantsteve]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

It may also be protected , so you might have to get it sorted whether you want to spend the money or not

Originally Posted by Tetlee

Either way there's a protection order on the tree so wouldn't be able to do anything with it unless it was needed.

Don't even fart near it mate - they'll have you over a barrel!

[Tetlee]

Thanks for advice, much bigger response than I expected. Seems like I don't need to worry for now(touch wood).

In some years many acorns will be converted into knopper galls, but in other years galling is at a low level.

Hopefully the gall wasps will be less busy next year