Sick Thuja

[Phil71]

Morning all, one of my customers has a Thuja hedge and the first tree has started to turn brown. Any ideas what might be the cause?

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Are you positive it's Thuja? (I'm looking on my phone)

Has there been a change on the ground? eg: Soil dumped. Grass cuttings dumped.

Has any landscaping been done nearby?

When did it appear and could it be aphid damage?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk mobile app.

[Phil71]

Are you positive it's Thuja? (I'm looking on my phone)

Has there been a change on the ground? eg: Soil dumped. Grass cuttings dumped.

Has any landscaping been done nearby?

When did it appear and could it be aphid damage?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk mobile app.

 

Hi, yes definitely Thuja. It has had some root damage in the past, but asked the customer about root disturbance and been told nothing recent. I only saw this tree for the first time last year and was showing some signs of die off, but is markedly worse this year.

[ben_inthewoods]

Last Thursday I sent foliage and bark samples to forest research of a thuya stand that had similar symptoms, as did an FC stand 5 miles away. Suspect Phytophthora lateralis with cinnamon stained twigs and red foliage, BUT could also be late frost, heavy seed year.

 

Will post when the results are in.

[Phil71]

Cheers Ben, I reckon it's unlikely to be late frost as we had such a mild winter, but will be interested to find out what the results are.... Phil

[treesrus]

how about drought? the thuja plicatas in my garden have all lost some foliage and are looking very thin.

[Phil71]

how about drought? the thuja plicatas in my garden have all lost some foliage and are looking very thin.

 

I know it's been dry for the last few weeks, but we've had quite a bit of rain this summer, plus it is one tree in a line with none of the others showing any symptoms. I also noticed some die back last year. Just hoping it isn't something that is going to spread to the rest of the trees. On the other hand, if it does... ;-)

[ben_inthewoods]

Last Thursday I sent foliage and bark samples to forest research of a thuya stand that had similar symptoms, as did an FC stand 5 miles away. Suspect Phytophthora lateralis with cinnamon stained twigs and red foliage, BUT could also be late frost, heavy seed year.

 

Will post when the results are in.

 

Following up this thread from a week or two ago Forest Research called yesterday to confirm that the sample of Thuja was a NEGATIVE for P. lateralis :thumbup:

 

Wind scorch - perhaps a hang over from last year? Late frost this year?

 

Cheers

Ben