Two large live oak trees in yard. one is half as dense foliage now (growing, front yard)

[Johnhw2]

Owned this home for eight years. Originally these 2 live oak looked identical. Both growing at same rate but I. Last year one has foliage half as dense as other. This is all over the tree. Any ideas what this could be and how to fix it?

[Izzie1213]

Maybe one is get more/less water. Maybe one is less shaded. Maybe. Slightly different soil, one area has heavy clay in it. My parents home is on a slope. The upper front yard has nice black soil, have to dig 5 feet or more to hit clay. The lower backyard has clay just a foot down.

Regarding water. My neighbors house and mine built at the same time, same trees planted at the same time. I would deep water with a trickle of water around the whole root edge during dry spells in hot summer once or twice during summers. Neighbors didn't. Mine were Fuller and 1/3 bigger at about the ten year mark.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

Owned this home for eight years. Originally these 2 live oak looked identical. Both growing at same rate but I. Last year one has foliage half as dense as other. This is all over the tree. Any ideas what this could be and how to fix it?

How's the foliage colors?

Originally Posted by Izzie1213

Maybe one is get more/less water. Maybe one is less shaded. Maybe.
.

That's what I was going to say.

[Johnhw2]

They were growing and acting identically for 18 years. Nothing changed in past year or so in terms of water, shade, soil or light..

[YorktownGal]

Look for holes in the trunk of the smaller tree. There probably is evidence of parasites.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/live-o...ems-41443.html

[guidoLaMoto]

Problems with fungal disease? https://www.gardenguides.com/98569-o...es-fungus.html


Oaks survival also depends on the commensal relationship the roots of trees have with beneficial fungi in the soil. Maybe the soil fungi have pooped out?