Austrian Pine Tree Tops Browning - Ask Extension
The tops and new growth on some of my mature pine trees are turning brown. The needles are brown but not falling off yet and are still fully intact on...
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Austrian Pine Tree Tops Browning #734947
Asked December 06, 2020, 5:56 PM EST
The tops and new growth on some of my mature pine trees are turning brown. The needles are brown but not falling off yet and are still fully intact on most all trees. On one tree the top branches are dead and seems to be dying from the top down. Wondering if they may have a disease that I need to treat to save them or if it is because of the really dry/ hot summer year we have had with late and early freezing? We are giving them extra water through summer even though they are mature trees. I have 2 Scots pine right near them that are doing fine. However I did have once Spruce tree nearby fully die this summer and it seems the spruce that was right next to it touching may die as well from the side that was in contact with the dead tree, not sure if this was disease and is related or not.
Weld County Colorado
Expert Response
Thank you for your question regarding your evergreens, and it is a good thing that you are noticing changes in your landscape.
I’m sending a link to an article written around 2015 about drought conditions that we were seeing in this area then. Maybe you can read that and compare your tree situation with the article. The article also asks to look for a copper color in your dying areas. You didn’t mention that and I can’t really tell from the nice pictures you sent.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/winter-drying-is-a-likely-cause-of-brown-pine-needles/
If you don’t think that your trees fall into this drought category, I’d be happy to go into some other possible causes. This year has seen many extreme temperature swings which can also cause trees to look this way. The good thing is that evergreen trees in Colorado are pretty resilient. You’d be surprised how they can bounce back. Your trees look very large, but watering on a nice day in the winter when you can can go a long way also.
Let me know.
Gina
Weld County Master Gardener
I’m sending a link to an article written around 2015 about drought conditions that we were seeing in this area then. Maybe you can read that and compare your tree situation with the article. The article also asks to look for a copper color in your dying areas. You didn’t mention that and I can’t really tell from the nice pictures you sent.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/winter-drying-is-a-likely-cause-of-brown-pine-needles/
If you don’t think that your trees fall into this drought category, I’d be happy to go into some other possible causes. This year has seen many extreme temperature swings which can also cause trees to look this way. The good thing is that evergreen trees in Colorado are pretty resilient. You’d be surprised how they can bounce back. Your trees look very large, but watering on a nice day in the winter when you can can go a long way also.
Let me know.
Gina
Weld County Master Gardener
