Q: Small shoots from the ends of branches with leaves on them are dropping from my oak tree, but it doesn’t have any galls on it. Is it in danger of dying?

A: It’s hard to accurately evaluate trees without examining them in person, but your problem doesn’t sound extremely serious. When small shoots drop from oak trees at the end of summer and in the early months of fall, there are a few possible explanations.

Gouty and horned oak galls can cause this symptom, but this doesn’t seem likely since you didn’t see any galls. If periodical cicadas were present the same year you noticed the twig drop, their egg-laying, which creates slits in twigs, is likely the cause. Squirrels also commonly chew off branch ends at this time of year for nesting materials or to gather acorns, and don’t always co

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