Sudden oak death (SOD), Phytophthora ramorum, is a federally
quarantined pathogen that has caused widespread dieback of tanoak and other oak
species in forested areas of 15 counties in California and parts of Curry County, Oregon. It has also been found infecting horticultural plants at nurseries in
California, Oregon, and Washington.
History of SOD in Oregon's nurseries
Sudden oak death (SOD) was first found in an Oregon nursery in 2003. It has been detected in limited nursery sites every year since then. When detected, the nursery must complete all requirements of the USDA confirmed nursery protocol.
Requirements include the following:
- Immediate quarantine of positive nursery
- Delimitation surveys to assess the extent of the infection
- Destruction of all infected plant material
- Trace survey inspections of all host material shipped and received by the nursery for previous 6 months
- Survey monitoring by inspection and sampling for the next 3 years
While more than 135 plants have been proven to be hosts of SOD, the following five are detected most often:
- Camellia
- Pieris
- Rhododendron
- Viburnum
- Kalmia
SOD regulations
Shipping
Oregon nurseries shipping plants out of state that are located within the quarantine area of Curry County or that have been found positive since March 31, 2011, are required to meet requirements of the USDA Federal Order 7 CFR 301.92.
Receiving
Recipients of tree and shrub nursery stock imported into
Oregon are required to notify ODA.
Resources
Guide for Landowners Harvesting Tanoak
Oregon Department of Forestry guide to establishing pest-free production sites within the P. ramorum quarantine area in Curry County. Guide for Landowners Harvesting Tanoak
Phytophthora ramorum: Sudden Oak Death
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Imports and Exports
Plant Plague: Sudden Oak Death
Bay area public broadcasting TV station KQED video story. Plant Plague video
Sudden Oak Death and Phytophthora ramorum guide
A Guide for Forest Managers, Christmas Tree Growers, and Forest Tree Nursery Operators in Oregon and Washington. Oregon State University Extension fact sheet and guidance. Phytophthora ramorum guide