Howdy all! I have an oak tree that I transplanted from my back yard to my front yard about 4 years ago. Since I transplanted it, it hasn't put on near as many leaves each year as it previously did. Anyway, this growth has recently appeared on the west side of the tree. The bark is also flaking off and the tree below the bark is splitting. Can anyone help me diagnose the issue? I called around in an attempt to have a arborist come out, but the only arborist in town that treated trees apparently died recently. Any help is appreciated!! I'd really love not to lose the tree!

i bet sun scald, hypoxylon canker or maybe wood borers.

I bet you have hypoxia canker. I have had several oak trees with it and looks just the same. Fungal disease that happens in stress conditions.

Thanks yall. This makes me very sad.

Hypoxylon sucks.

Lost a huge sycamore to it when a previous owner of the home did an absolute hack job to pruning before we bought it.

Wound left it vulnerable, hypoxylon attacked.

It's an endemic which means it is everywhere and only takes over weak trees.

I thought I had on one of my newer oaks but it has battled back and is thriving now.

Not uncommon for trees transplanted with too small of a root ball to take 3-5 years to decline and die. Tree physiology evolved to get trees through years of drought-root loss is much like perpetual drought. The tree dips into its carbohydrate reserves every year to get through the stress. Without enough root system it can't absorb enough water and nutrients to Cary out essential life functions and slowly succumbs to secondary pathogens like Hypoxylon and wood borers. Probability of that tree surviving is extremely low.