Why Water Oaks Drop Branches and Leaves in Early Summer

If you have mature water oaks dropping sizable chunks of green branches and leaves after early summer rainstorms, don't panic. This is a common, natural occurrence. In spring, oaks put on a flush of lush, rapid growth. Some of those new twigs and leaves are weakly attached. When early summer storms bring heavy rain and wind, the tree sheds these poorly anchored "tufts" as a way to reduce its canopy load before the heat and drought of midsummer arrive. It's essentially a self-pruning mechanism. The tree remains healthy; you'll typically see no long-term harm. Just clean up the debris and carry on.