What is causing this?

[Coop]

Hi All

Hope someone can help, looked at a Yew tree which has been slowly declining over 5 years since it was first found. The Left side has completely died, the right side is slowly going the same easy.

Any new needles quickly become brown but the branches themselves still look and feel healthy.

Does anyone what could be causing this, will it recover if treated and can it affect other Yew trees in the area?

[treequip]

In the absence of ground disturbance or waterloging (broken drains and suchlike), my initial suspect would be phytopthora but that's just a guess based on scant info, either way it's not a good outlook

 

 

It's probably a goner but don't worry, a wood turner will soon be along to say "can I have the wood"

[Coop]

Thanks for best guess better than nothing. No broken drains due to distance away from house plus it being raised above the road no drains would be in the vicinity. Ground was not boggy even though have had good amount of rain.

Thanks again.

[treequip]

Thanks for best guess better than nothing. No broken drains due to distance away from house plus it being raised above the road no drains would be in the vicinity. Ground was not boggy even though have had good amount of rain.

Thanks again.

 

Well that points at a biological agent,,,,,or something sinister from the Monsanto line up, anyone shaded out, new conservatory nearby perhaps, probably just my suspicious mind

[inthewoods]

Well that points at a biological agent,,,,,or something sinister from the Monsanto line up, anyone shaded out, new conservatory nearby perhaps, probably just my suspicious mind

 

 

To the op - is the left hand side next to someone else's property? Neighbours dispute?

[Coop]

No it is all in one garden. Good thought though.

Cheers

[Coop]

As mentioned don't believe this could be malicious but who knows what people do when the lights go out.

The tree officer who visited before (5years ago) said for it to be reduced down to 3m which seems a bit drastic. Owners never got this done, but the right wasn't like it is now.

Looking it on internet people give different ideas from animal urine to bonfire.

It will be shame if it has to come down but if it hasn't recovered in the past 5 years can't see it coming back.

[OakStag]

is their a link skin like layer over the bark. not sure if it could be but perhaps amylosterum laevigatum? if their is a pink skin like layer on parts of the bark.

 

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[Coop]

bark looked and felt fine no residue on there.

Thanks for the reply.

[skyhuck]

As mentioned don't believe this could be malicious but who knows what people do when the lights go out.

The tree officer who visited before (5years ago) said for it to be reduced down to 3m which seems a bit drastic. Owners never got this done, but the right wasn't like it is now.

Looking it on internet people give different ideas from animal urine to bonfire.

It will be shame if it has to come down but if it hasn't recovered in the past 5 years can't see it coming back.

 

I have found heavy reductions to be very good at rejuvenating sad looking Yew's, not done one that looked quite as bad as this, but if it had been done when the TO recommended who knows.