Drought might not kill your established trees, but it is still a major stressor that leaves the tree more susceptible to harmful pests, pathogens, etc. This can lead to decline that may be irreversible. It probably won't even be immediate. Could be 5 years down the road or more. Gotta take care of your trees, and by the time Joe Blow notices his tree is in trouble it is often too late.
this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2025
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Trees in my area are already beginning to show signs of distress. Particularly hardwoods. I lost a decent sized elm last year. Went dormant in winter and never came back. The 140+ year old white oak just outside my house has been looking more sickly by the year. I'm not going to be shocked if it doesn't survive.
My inlaws have lost dozens of red oaks. It's probably a combination of things, including pests, but the fact that we now have a "rainy season" in the early spring, followed by 6+ months of drought with long, hot summers is definitely a contributing factor.
That's an excessive number of oaks to lose. Are you in an area with oak wilt?