Oak trees in The Villages dying !

[My Daily Run]

I have to drive on Buena Vista and I saw in the POA that the oak trees seem to be dying so I have been watching them closely all over the area and I am finding that the trees are not blooming and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this. It looks like the moss might be suffocating the trees but I am not sure as I do not know much about trees except for what I see. If anyone out there has any info could you please share with me as the area of Buena Vista and Old Mill Run going into Lake Sumter Landing is a beautiful area and I would be sad if we lose these beautiful trees.

[gomoho]

Moss is definitely not the problem - as a matter of fact a healthy growth of spanish moss indicates healthy air. Spanish moss will not flourish in polluted air.

[My Daily Run]

Have you noticed how they look or has anyone noticed...they are very bare with very little geenery.

[travelguy]

When there is construction around mature trees the damages may not be evident for many years. When the roadways were put in and soil levels were re-arranged some roots were cracked and a slow death begins. Other than replacement of these trees there is nothing that can be done. There are several other trees on Morse near Colony Blvd. that are suffering the same fate. We need to plant more oak trees.

[dsned]

I heard that too much moss will kill the tree, that is what you will see them come and take some off, maybe they need to clean more of the moss off the trees.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Info on Spanish moss from the University of Florida IFAS Extension. They say the moss itself is not what kills the trees:

Spanish Moss - UF/IFAS Extension: Solutions for Your Life (http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/environment/spanish_moss.html)

Bill :)

[graciegirl]

Have you noticed how they look or has anyone noticed...they are very bare with very little geenery.

Did you hear this from a credible source.... that they are sick?

If that is correct, I am sick.

There are few things lovelier on this earth than the space near the roundabout of Stillwater and Buena Vista with those beautiful big live oaks and manicured shrubbery and lawn beneath them. I always think that is what heaven must look like.

[BettyCrocked]

There must have been some bama fans down there.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20130322/NEWS/130322015/Harvey-Updyke-pleads-guilty-Toomer-s-Corner-tree-poisoning

[zonerboy]

Maybe it's just the late spring.
Hope so!
Losing those big, old trees would be a disaster.

[downeaster]

A lot of oaks are losing their leaves right now. New growth will follow. It's a seasonal thing. If new growth is not evident in a week or two there may have a problem.

[batman911]

Maybe this will make you feel at ease:

Oak Trees- why won't the leaves fall? - HelpfulGardener.com (http://www.helpfulgardener.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3597Cached)

[Villages PL]

Oak trees are one of the most hardy trees in Florida, or anywhere. You'd have a hard time killing an oak tree! Oak trees have a long long tap root and it would have to be cut or broken in order for the tree to die. Unless the tree dies from old age. All trees have a life expectancy, just like people.

My guess is that those trees just happen to be a little late in coming out with their new leaves. My next door neighbor has an oak tree and it just came out with new leaves but not all trees will do this at the exact same time.