Arbor Image Tree Care, based in Oklahoma City, OK, serves the Oklahoma City metro with arborist-led tree health, preservation, pruning, removal, planting, and storm response.
Major threats
Diseases & insects that change the decision
Emerald ash borer (EAB)
Established across Oklahoma. Untreated ash trees in the metro will die. Treatment is effective when started early, wait until 30% canopy loss and it's usually too late.
Oak wilt
Vascular disease that kills red-oak group trees fast and spreads through root grafts and fresh pruning wounds. Don't prune oaks April–July unless storm-forced; act on suspected cases immediately.
Hypoxylon canker
Opportunistic fungus on stressed oaks. Diagnostic sign is silvery/black sloughing bark exposing a powdery fungal mat. By the time you see it, the tree is usually past saving, but it's a warning about your other oaks' stress level.
Bacterial leaf scorch
Chronic, progressive marginal leaf burn on oaks (esp. red oaks), elms, and sycamores. Often misdiagnosed as drought. Confirmed with lab testing; managed, not cured.
Common, manageable
Pests we treat regularly
Bagworms
Defoliating caterpillar on cedar, juniper, arborvitae, and others. Timing-sensitive: treatment window is late May–June while larvae are small.
Soft scale & armored scale
Sap-sucking insects on many ornamentals. Sticky honeydew and black sooty mold are tell-tales. Treated systemically or with horticultural oil depending on species.
Powdery mildew
Mostly cosmetic; rarely fatal. Cultural fixes (airflow, sun, watering) usually beat sprays.
Symptoms to call about
Discoloration & decline signs that matter
- Off-season color change (red or yellow in midsummer)
- Canopy thinning that worsens year over year
- Dieback starting at the top of the tree ("stag-heading")
- Sudden one-sided wilt
- Bleeding or oozing trunk wounds
- Visible fungal conks or sloughing bark
Decision framework
When to inspect vs treat vs remove
Inspect
First step for almost everything. We confirm the diagnosis before recommending treatment. Spraying a guess wastes money and sometimes makes things worse.
Treat
When diagnosis is clear, treatment exists, and the tree has enough living canopy to recover. We give a candid percent-likelihood, not a guarantee.
Remove
When the disease is fatal in this species, the tree is structurally unsafe, or treatment cost over multiple years exceeds the value of the tree.
Diagnosis before treatment
We won't sell you a treatment for a disease we haven't confirmed. If it's beyond our diagnostic certainty, we send samples to a plant pathology lab.
What to do next
- Take 3–4 photos of the tree, full canopy, base, and any damage.
- Note the city, neighborhood, and what you've already seen change.
- Request a free on-site assessment from an ISA-Certified Arborist.
- We'll send a written quote with preservation options before any saw runs.