Black rot and pitch on 15 year old fir that kills fir trees . - Ask Extension
We have 15 acre reprod of Douglas fir that was planted 15 yrs. and has pockets of trees that are dying or dead . Trees have light yellow needles and n...
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Black rot and pitch on 15 year old fir that kills fir trees . #296197
Asked January 09, 2016, 6:01 PM EST
We have 15 acre reprod of Douglas fir that was planted 15 yrs. and has pockets of trees that are dying or dead . Trees have light yellow needles and not thick needles on limbs . Main trunk of tree has area of trunk several feet up from ground that is black and looks like tree has rot with pitch weeping out of infected area . Trees are planted in small canyon , above is old stand of fir 60 yrs. old and no problem with them . This area is in washougal wa . And was part of old Yacolt burn . Also there were not many tree stumps were young trees were planted , but 50 yds. Above large stand of grand fir , hemlock and Doug fir .. Any help would be much appreciated , since so much time and labor to bring them along only to watch them die is so very discouraging , can you help !
Clark County Washington
Expert Response
You may have a couple of things happening.
Your top photo is showing signs of damage from something breaking the bark. The best possibility is black bears. They will enter a young stand and eat the bark in the spring. Some trees heal over like the one in this photo.
If the trees are all in a small pocket you may also have root rot. This effects young hemlock and DOUGLAS fir. Most other native trees especially maple and alder are resistant.
The sap and holes are caused by secondary beetles attracted to sick trees.
Remove some bark low on the tree where the roots meet the trunk. If there is white spider web like material just under the bark that is root rot.
There is nothing you can use to kill the fungus that is killing your trees.
For more information go to Wsu extension forestry web site and check out the information on root rots.
There is also lots of information on the web by Oregon state university and Washington state department of natural resources.
Jim freed
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