Knowledgebase

White pine needles over entire tree turning brown in short time span #764546

Asked July 29, 2021, 9:26 AM EDT

I live in Granville, Licking County, and have several healthy, mature white pine trees that probably were planted around 1962. Needles on one of the trees began turning brown, affecting the whole tree, apparently branch by branch, within a matter of weeks. The neighboring trees seem unaffected. There is evidence of insect damage (little piles of “sawdust”) near the base of the affected tree on one the neighbor’s side, extending up the trunk only to eye level. A volunteer also had been working on scraping, bleaching, and painting siding on the side of my house closest to these trees, and it is possible that household bleach sprayed on the siding or spilled on the soil might have affected the tree roots. Consistent with this hypothesis is that English ivy leaves on vines on the trunk also have died, although dicots at the base of the tree seem unaffected. I attach a photo of the tree taken from a neighbor’s deck, and also some showing the “sawdust” and dead English ivy. No insects are visible. The bark is not loose. Thank you for any insight, Julie Mulroy

Licking County Ohio

Expert Response

There may be more than one problem affecting the tree. White pines, Pinus strobus, typically grow vigorously but sometimes die or decline unexpectedly and rapidly, seemingly without a specific cause. It is common to see individual trees dying while nearby white pines remain healthy. Environmental stresses can cause the decline of trees as indicated by browning of the needles. Stressed trees are subject to attack by borers, beetles, and other insects. The sawdust seen around the tree could be caused by borers. Some borers carry a fungal disease which can eventually kill the tree. Beetles also carry disease. There are root rots that cause eventual death. The root system can also uptake herbicides and other harmful chemicals causing browning.

In order to determine exactly what is causing the severe browning of the needles, it is recommended that a certified arborist be contacted. This person is trained to analyze trees and make recommendations to treat the problem. A certified arborist can be located at the website of The International Society of Arboriculture, isa-arbor.com or treesaregood.com. The OSU Fact Sheet “How to Hire an Arborist,” may be of help. It can be found at ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-1032.

Keep in mind that dying and dead trees can attract borers and beetles and these insects may then attack nearby healthy trees. Any dead tree should be removed from the landscape.

Source: Purdue University Extension Service.

Mike F. Replied July 29, 2021, 1:34 PM EDT

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