My oak sapling was doing well all summer, until a few weeks ago. It has these leaves that turn white. I removed one branch with white leaves already but it still seems to 'spread'. Anyone know what it is? Is it lethal or harmless?
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That is damage from an Oak leaf skeletonizer. The damage can look different but they typically eat the soft tissues from the oak leaf leaving areas with no pigment, only structural tissues remaining. You do not have to cut back damaged areas, you can leave them and wait to see if they leaf back out, since the stems wont be damaged.
Here’s a picture of similar damage to yours, from Missouri Botanical Garden
J. Musser
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It’s almost certainly powdery mildew—a common fungal infection that isn’t usually lethal but can weaken your sapling if left unchecked—just prune off the affected leaves, improve airflow, and treat with a mild fungicide if needed.
Agerou Pomais
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That’s because the leaves have ammonium nitrate due to high carbon concentration in air. How good is your ventilation ?
