Spruce tree seems thin - Ask Extension
Our 50 year old spruce tree seems thin. I don't see any disease as such, but maybe you can tell from the enclosed pics if it looks ok to you?
Knowledgebase
Spruce tree seems thin #836817
Asked June 21, 2023, 12:19 PM EDT
Our 50 year old spruce tree seems thin. I don't see any disease as such, but maybe you can tell from the enclosed pics if it looks ok to you?
Wayne County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi John,
Older spruce can look a little thin on their own. They do tend to lose their interior needles due to shade; if the needles are not getting the sun to photosynthesize, then the tree sheds them in favor of growing new needles on the exterior, which received more sun.
Rhizosphaera needlecast can also cause spruce trees to lose their interior needles. It's a fungal disease that can clog the openings through which trees respire.
https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/rhizosphaera-needle-cast
This looks like a norway spruce? If it is, it's less susceptible to needlecast. Look for brown needles under the tree with black dots, which indicate the fungus has grown into those openings.
If you do decide it's needlecast, keep in mind that annual treatments will protect the new growth from being infected, giving the tree a more full appearance. The interior needles will never grow back.
Thank you,
-Julie
Older spruce can look a little thin on their own. They do tend to lose their interior needles due to shade; if the needles are not getting the sun to photosynthesize, then the tree sheds them in favor of growing new needles on the exterior, which received more sun.
Rhizosphaera needlecast can also cause spruce trees to lose their interior needles. It's a fungal disease that can clog the openings through which trees respire.
https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/rhizosphaera-needle-cast
This looks like a norway spruce? If it is, it's less susceptible to needlecast. Look for brown needles under the tree with black dots, which indicate the fungus has grown into those openings.
If you do decide it's needlecast, keep in mind that annual treatments will protect the new growth from being infected, giving the tree a more full appearance. The interior needles will never grow back.
Thank you,
-Julie
