White pine root decline? - Ask Extension
One white pine in a tree line of white pines, turned brown in less than a month, There is resin visible around trunk base, as well as, white flecks o...
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White pine root decline? #481177
Asked August 27, 2018, 2:30 PM EDT
One white pine in a tree line of white pines, turned brown in less than a month, There is resin visible around trunk base, as well as, white flecks on the bark. Could this be white pine root decline (procerum root disease)? If so, can the tree be saved or treated? Will the other adjacent trees be infected? I have attached pictures.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Unfortunately, your tree is almost dead and can not be saved.
Evergreens can hide stress for a long time. (Think of a Christmas tree that is literally severed from its roots for months before it browns out.)
Additionally, most evergreens cannot grow back from the trunk or bare wood, so even if it had some life left in it, it would never look the same.
This late in the game, it is difficult to say what has happened, but it is pretty likely that there are multiple factors involved.
A root disease is possible, but there are other issues as well.
For instance, it looks like the tree was planted (or mulched) too deeply. You should be able to see a natural widening or 'flare' where the trunk meets the roots before it goes into the ground. Yours goes in straight like a telephone pole. This can stress and kill a tree over a long period of time.
Stressors of multiple kinds, including drought perhaps most often, can cause other problems. Like us when we are stressed, we are more likely to get sick, and for these trees insects like some of the borers are attracted to stressed trees.
Pines can have many possible problems, and it is likely you will find more than one symptom listed on this publication,
IPM:Pines: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/hgic/HGIC_Pubs/TreesandShrubs/...
cm
Evergreens can hide stress for a long time. (Think of a Christmas tree that is literally severed from its roots for months before it browns out.)
Additionally, most evergreens cannot grow back from the trunk or bare wood, so even if it had some life left in it, it would never look the same.
This late in the game, it is difficult to say what has happened, but it is pretty likely that there are multiple factors involved.
A root disease is possible, but there are other issues as well.
For instance, it looks like the tree was planted (or mulched) too deeply. You should be able to see a natural widening or 'flare' where the trunk meets the roots before it goes into the ground. Yours goes in straight like a telephone pole. This can stress and kill a tree over a long period of time.
Stressors of multiple kinds, including drought perhaps most often, can cause other problems. Like us when we are stressed, we are more likely to get sick, and for these trees insects like some of the borers are attracted to stressed trees.
Pines can have many possible problems, and it is likely you will find more than one symptom listed on this publication,
IPM:Pines: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/hgic/HGIC_Pubs/TreesandShrubs/...
cm
