Knowledgebase
What is causing my blue spruce tree to drop its needles? #245308
Asked May 18, 2015, 12:40 PM EDT
Carroll County Maryland
Expert Response
Thanks, Steve
I have attached several photos of my spruce. As you will see, this once beautiful specimen is
totally engulfed in disease, and appears to be a lost cause. This started early this spring and has
progressed to this rather quickly. The
new growth seems to wither and turn brown not long after it emerges. The old growth went first, starting with the
bottom branches. I tried a fungicide
spray with three applications in as many weeks, but the problem just seemed to
get worse so I stopped. At this point I
am very concerned for several other spruce trees I planted last fall. I had a Colorado blue spruce, Hopsii, and
three Serbian spruce trees installed, and I am terrified this same disease will
encompass these trees as well. I hope the photos can help you with a diagnosis,
and you can offer me some insight on how to proceed with protecting my other
trees.
- Cytospora canker: Spruce Diseases
- Rhizosphaera: Common Diseases of Blue Spruce
It has been some time since I updated this post. The dwarf blue spruce I originally contacted you about died shortly after this, and as I suspected the other trees I installed last year have become infected. A Colorado blue spruce and three Serbian spruce developed similar symptoms. Two of the Serbian spruce were severely damaged, so I dug them up and planted two new, smaller trees. The remaining Colorado is looking similar to the dwarf spruce, with needle drop from the inside of the branch outward at random locations about the tree and white sap showing on the trunk and on one of the infected branches. I will attach some photos. I have a 20-year old golden Cyprus that has older growth dying throughout the tree. If this is Cytospora canker am I to understand there is no treatment? If it is Rhizosphaera, what is the treatment, and when can I apply? I would like to bring samples of the spruce and Cyprus ASAP. Can you tell me how to go about this?
Thanks,
Doug Cullison
We are located at the Carroll Co Extension office. 700 Agriculture Center Drive, Westminster 21157. Basically we are at the dead end of Smith Ave at the Ag Center Complex. Please call before hand. i suspect that you may not have a disease in the blue spruce. 410 386 - 2760
Thanks, steve
Thanks Steve,
Are you be available this Friday in the morning or afternoon? Would you like me to bring samples of the Colorado Spruce needles and the Cypress needles? If so, I can call that day to give you a time when I should arrive.
Doug
Thanks, Steve
Steve
I have the samples and my camera with some photos of the trees. I am on my way now, should be there around 10.
Doug
Steve
Steve,
It was really great to speak with you this morning. You are a very nice guy, with a wealth of information, and I appreciated your taking so much time to educate me.
I told you that I had contacted Bartlett Tree service earlier this year to take a look at my tree problems. The individual who came out was Brain Rhoten, another very knowledgeable individual, who took a great deal of time to assess multiple trees and issues. The service was free!
Thanks,
Doug Cullison
Email: <personal data hidden>
I spoke with our entomologist and pathologist in regards to the Serbian Spruce and Cypress.
For the Cypress: they feel that some of this is the normal annual needle shed that happens this time of the year. However, the tip die back is harder to diagnose since there seems to be no casual agent that is evident (insect or disease) There thought is that this may be environmental or abiotic(not biological). I would look hard at the base of the plant, the trunk or the main stems for evidence of physical damage. It will be interesting to see what happens this spring.
As for the Serbian Spruce: as noted in your office visit, this plant is generally viewed as one of the most tolerant of evergreens to grow in our area, but there has been recent observations, in the industry, of insect damage - aphids and mites to this species. Your samples did not have any, but this is off season. the foliage looked relatively clean (no fruiting bodies indicating Cytospora canker), but there was white patches or resin flow observed.
The other possibility that the pathologist put forward is weather stress - this year, long extremely wet spring and then hot dry latter end of the summer.
Please send me pictures of both this spring - I would love to see what happens. My direct email is <personal data hidden>..
Steve
Unfortunately, both of these species are really going to be a "wait and see". Please send me pictures of spring growth.
Wow! Thanks for the input, Steve. I will follow your original advice with spraying the trees for the Needlecast problem this Spring. My intention is to spray all four pines using the regiment the article you gave me suggested. I will examine the Golden Cyprus for damage. I know the tree sustained no physical damage to the trunk, from say mowing or the like, as it sits in a bed next to my deck. I will take a look, though, and let you know in a few days. However, we did extensive work to restore the deck rail in late Summer, sanding and painting, which meant we were standing on the roots at the base, and broke some limbs trying to get around the tree to paint. We also covered some of the limbs with a tarp to pull them away from the deck rail while during paining. This caused scorching of some of the needles. All of this could explain a stress problem. I learned my lesson after seeing the damage. I just hope we didn't permanently harm the tree. I'll be in touch this coming spring with some photos and observations of the Serbians and the Colorado spruce.
Thanks again for all the help. Hope you have a great holiday season!
Doug
Steve
Happy Holidays, Steve,
I hope you are having an enjoyable holiday season.
I had a question on purchasing the proper strength of Daconil (chlorothalonil). The brand in the article you printed and gave me was Daconil 2787 WP, which from what I can determine is no longer manufactured. The pamphlet from original manufacturer, Syngenta, says the strength of this version was 40.4% Chlorothalonil. I have found a Website, http://www.solutionsstores.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=daconil&Submit=Search, which sells several versions of the product. The two that appear closest to Daconil 2787 are Daconil WeatherStick, 54% Chlorothalonil, and Daconil ZN, 38.5% Chlorothalonil. There are other versions listed on this site as well. Would you mind taking a look at these and suggesting which one would best suit my purpose? Do you know of a place locally that sells the product?
Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Doug Cullison
I would look to one of the local garden centers for this product, Daconil 2787 and just follow the labeled directions. Really, any of the other products listed in the article would probably work also. Daconil is the most common fungicide found on store shelves and the most readily available.
The two product formulations that you listed in your email are commercial formulations that are going to be very expensive and are large volumes that would be difficult to mix in small batches and fully consume.
I would not necessarily focus on the particular formulation as being the "be all and end all". The most important thing is timing of the fungicide. Here is a snip-it from another "Ask an Extension Expert" question on the same topic (https://ask.extension.org/questions/117373) :
A protective fungicide with the active ingredient chlorothalonil (sold as Multi- Purpose Fungicide, Daconil 2787, and others), Two-some, Spectro-90, or copper based fungicide can protect new growth and prevent new infections. The key to successfully managing this disease requires that you protect new growth as it emerges. To do so, fungicides should be applied in a timely manner at budbreak , when the new needles are half elongated, and again three to four weeks later. In most instances, infected trees usually require two or more years of fungicide applications to allow infected needles to be shed, while new needles remain uninfected. Even though fungicide application will effectively control this disease, reinfection may occur in subsequent years. Application to large trees requires special equipment to ensure adequate coverage……. Other websites with excellent information on Rhizosphaera Needle Cast: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3059.html and
http://www.pestid.msu.edu/LinkClick.aspx?link=Factsheets%2FRhizosphaeraCS3.pdf&tabid=218&mid=834
Excellant!
Steve,
Thanks for the info and articles. I see that Lowe's carries Daconil concentrate (29.6% Chlorothalonil), which I assume should work. I will let you know how the trees respond, and will be dilligent at applying the spray early in the Spring, repeating as directed in the articles. If the trees respond to treatment I intend to continue spraying each year that I am able to try and keep them healthy.
I wish you a Happy New Year!
Doug
