yew loosing needles - Ask Extension
My 25 year old yews have been very healthy until this year. Several are loosing most of the needles along the branches. Some branches remain healthy...
Knowledgebase
yew loosing needles #750244
Asked May 16, 2021, 3:50 PM EDT
My 25 year old yews have been very healthy until this year. Several are loosing most of the needles along the branches. Some branches remain healthy though. Are they just dying of old age or is there another problem?
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Yews live very long lives, so the needle loss is probably something else. I can't tell for sure looking at these photos. Look at this diagnostic page:
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/evergreen/yew/
Some things to consider: winter burn (very common on yews), deicing salt, taxus mealybug (look for sticky honeydew on branches) or Fletcher scale (also produces honeydew). Here are some references:
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter
https://www.bartlett.com/resources/mealybugs-on-taxus.pdf
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/evergreen/yew/
Some things to consider: winter burn (very common on yews), deicing salt, taxus mealybug (look for sticky honeydew on branches) or Fletcher scale (also produces honeydew). Here are some references:
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter
https://www.bartlett.com/resources/mealybugs-on-taxus.pdf
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/scale-insects#soft-scales-on-conifers-859761
