Each spring Florida homeowners are often alarmed by the appearance of blisters and wrinkles on the leaves of their valuable oak trees. These deformities are symptoms of a disease known as oak leaf blister, caused by the fungus Taphrina caerulescens. This disease is found throughout the United States and Europe.
In Florida it most commonly occurs on live oaks, water oaks, laurel oaks, and southern red oaks. On healthy trees the effect of oak leaf blister is usually negligible. Although severe cases of the disease can cause defoliation and loss of growth, it rarely if ever kills the host tree.
Prepared by Ernest C. Ash, Biologist, and Dr. Edward Barnard, Forest Pathologist, Florida Division of Forestry.
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