Dutch elm disease was first detected in South Dakota in 1967, in Minnehaha County, and reached every county by 1985, according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is still killing American elms; the 2024 USDA forest health report found it on elms across the state. The fungus spreads two ways. Elm bark beetles carry it from infected wood to healthy trees, and it travels underground through root grafts between elms less than 50 feet apart. DANR says good sanitation, meaning prompt removal of infected elms and their wood, can hold urban losses to about 1 to 2 percent a year.
For a valuable elm, prevention is an injection. DANR lists thiabendazole (Arbortect) and propiconazole (Alamo) as preventive injections, repeated every three years, and says therapeutic use is limited to elms with less than 10 percent yellowing. So the time to inject is before the tree shows symptoms. When an elm does wilt and yellow in summer, we confirm it, remove it promptly and chip or dispose of the wood so beetles can't breed in it. For replacements, DANR lists disease-resistant elms available in South Dakota, including Accolade, Cathedral, Discovery and Triumph. The City's street-tree list includes Accolade and Discovery.
Oaks need different timing. DANR says oak wilt was occasionally reported in Minnehaha County in the 1980s and 1990s and is beginning to appear more often in the state. It advises against pruning oaks in April, May and June, when fresh wounds attract the beetles that spread it. Red-group oaks such as northern pin and northern red oak are hit hardest. White-group oaks, including bur oak, can survive for years. Bur oak blight, a leaf disease that shows as purple-brown lesions along the veins in August, was reported along the woody draws in Sioux Falls in 2016. Wet springs favor it. We prune oaks from July through March and leave the rest to the tree.
What's included
DED prevention injections
Arbortect or Alamo injected into healthy elms, repeated every three years.
Sanitation removal
Infected elms taken down promptly, wood chipped or disposed of so beetles can't breed in it.
Root-graft awareness
Neighboring elms within 50 feet checked when one goes down.
Oak pruning July–March
No oak pruning in April, May or June, to avoid oak wilt.
Bur oak checks
Late-summer leaf symptoms identified, and stress reduced with mulch and water.
Resistant replacements
Accolade, Discovery and other resistant elms, or oaks from the City list.
Elm and oak care cost in Sioux Falls, SD
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch elm disease injection | $12 – $20 per inch of trunk | Every three years |
| Infected elm removal | $600 – $2,500 | Wood chipped or hauled promptly |
| Oak pruning, dormant season | $300 – $1,200 | July through March only |
| Elm or oak deadwood pruning | $300 – $900 | Season-appropriate |
| Disease diagnosis visit | Free with an estimate | Lab sample if needed, at cost |
| Resistant elm or oak, planted | $350 – $650 | See planting |
These are 2026 Sioux Falls ranges to help you budget. Your written price is itemized (climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about elm and oak care
Can Dutch elm disease be cured?
Not reliably once it's established. Injections are preventive. DANR says therapeutic use only makes sense on elms with less than 10 percent yellowing. Inject healthy elms you want to keep, every three years.
My neighbor's elm died. Is mine next?
If they're within about 50 feet, the roots may be grafted, and the disease can travel through them. Have yours checked. Prompt removal of the infected tree helps protect the rest of the block.
When can I prune my oak?
Not in April, May or June. DANR advises against oak pruning then because of oak wilt. July through March is fine, and late winter is ideal.
Is oak wilt in Sioux Falls?
DANR says it was occasionally reported in Minnehaha County in the 1980s and 1990s and is beginning to appear more often in the state. Red oaks are most at risk.
My bur oak's leaves have brown patches in August. Is it dying?
Possibly bur oak blight, which has been reported along the woody draws in Sioux Falls. Bur oaks often tolerate it for years. We'll look at it and check for other causes.
What elm should I plant?
A disease-resistant variety. DANR lists Accolade, Cathedral, Discovery and Triumph, and the City's street tree list includes Accolade and Discovery.