sick looking conifer/ llelandii

[travis]

my inlaws have a few of these trees in their front garden, even the tree officer didn't manage to identify them.

i have previously removed one tree a while back, now another of the trees is scabby looking.

can any one help out with either a diagnosis or a good enough reason for the local tree officer to have this tree removed.

i have taken a photo, there are two trunks growing very close but not joined. one trunk looks healthy and bushy, the other is very sparse, wilty and woody.

[tommer9]

A bit confusing here. I wasnt aware that TOs could enforce removal of trees. They can prevent through TPOs.

From the pics it could be almost anything. Can you get closer pics pls.?

[travis]

ahh, i was a bit confusing. the local planning are not enforcing the removal, the home owner is looking for a legitimate reason for removal.

I also forgot to mention that the roots have been trimmed as they had interferred with the mains sewer!

[Graham]

Possibly Thuja plicata.

[18 stoner]

Could it be its almost strangled with ivy, and having its roots pruned the combination of stress has sent it into decline?

[RobArb]

get me a pic of the leaves/needles/scales up close, and i mean up close, macro if you can:biggrin: and a pic of the spray (bits at the end of branches) and i will tell you what it is, but from that pic alone it could be anything!

[travis]

here are some 'better' photos

[Daniël Bos]

Is it a Lawson's Cypress?

[Nimby]

ahh, i was a bit confusing. the local planning are not enforcing the removal, the home owner is looking for a legitimate reason for removal.

I also forgot to mention that the roots have been trimmed as they had interferred with the mains sewer!

 

 

I think you have answered your own question.

 

lawsoniana as Rover suggests is probably the right answer, either that or the other Leylandii parent the nootkatensis.

 

I presume this is in a CA? If so, the TO will probably not be bothered either way what is wrong with it but tell him about the roots being trimmed.

[RobArb]

If those cones/fruit on the branch are spiky its a Xanthocyparis nootkatensis or the Nootka cypress, If the cones/fruit aren't spiky its a Chamaecyparis pisifera cultivar, which one i couldn't say.

 

Gut says go with the nootka, and if it is it could be the 'pendula' variety which looks like this and would have nothing wrong with it.

 

If it wasn't it could be a number of things, nootka are apparently susceptible to aphid, honey fungus and phytophthara problems

 

hope that helps a bit