Pests & Insects

Oklahoma City’s climate fosters a diverse range of plant-damaging insects, each with its own way of weakening trees and shrubs. Some feed on leaves, disrupting photosynthesis, while others burrow into the bark, cutting off vital nutrient flow. A few of the many pests our team can protect your trees from include:

• Aphids: Aphids cluster on new growth, piercing soft stems to extract sap. As they feed, they leave behind a sticky residue that attracts mold that further stresses the plant. 
• Bagworms: Bagworms take a more aggressive approach, encasing themselves in silk-lined shelters while stripping entire branches bare. 
• Scale Insects: Where bagworms consume leaves, scale insects attach themselves to stems and trunks, draining essential fluids and slowly weakening the tree from the inside out. 
• Borers: Borers, such as the emerald ash borer and pine sawyer beetle, cause deeper damage by tunneling through a tree’s vascular system. This can potentially lead to irreversible decline. 
• Spider Mites: Spider mites also create trouble on the surface. They feed on plant cells and leave foliage speckled, discolored, and weak.

Tree Diseases

Fungal, bacterial, and viral infections spread through Oklahoma’s tree population, often taking advantage of weakened or stressed plants. Many diseases attack the leaves, reducing a tree’s ability to absorb energy from sunlight. Others infiltrate the vascular system, blocking water movement and causing internal decay.

Fungal spores, for example, travel through wind, rain, and soil, easily moving from one tree to another. Bacteria and viruses, on the other hand, can spread through insect activity, contaminated pruning tools, or even root-to-root contact. These infections often develop silently and advance below the surface before outward symptoms appear.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Nutrient imbalances develop due to natural soil conditions, shifting environmental factors, erosion, or excessive fertilizer use. When essential minerals are lacking, trees struggle to build strong structures, which makes them more vulnerable to disease and pest infestations.

Some nutrients support overall growth, whereas others directly impact leaf development, root expansion, or a plant’s ability to withstand stress. Over time, deficiencies disrupt the entire landscape ecosystem and limit the ability of plants to thrive.

Environmental Stresses

Extreme weather, shifting soil conditions, and urban development place constant stress on trees and shrubs in Oklahoma City. Intense summer heat and prolonged drought force roots to search deeper for moisture, often in compacted soil that restricts water absorption. When storms roll in, heavy rainfall can overwhelm struggling root systems, leading to poor drainage and oxygen deprivation. Additionally, sudden temperature drops add another layer of strain, causing the bark to crack as trees struggle to adjust.

In residential landscapes, construction projects disturb underground root networks, limiting stability and nutrient uptake. Urban pollution and chemical runoff further complicate conditions, introducing toxins that trees must work harder to process. When multiple stressors stack up, trees lose their ability to recover, making them more vulnerable to pests, diseases, and long-term decline.