One-sided dieback on Lawson cypress

[Kveldssanger]

Hi all,

 

Anyone able to help with this? A mature Lawson cypress has hugely contrasted dieback in its crown, and the remaining side is now starting to die back from the bottom upwards, with the youngest foliage dying first. I was leaning somewhat towards phytopthora or cypress aphid (C. cupressi).

 

Images are here and are supported by some blurb, though the images exclusively I have posted below.

 

Any help is appreciated massively. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Old age? Just make something up and charge 'em a grand for removal.

[Kveldssanger]

Hah! Such cynicism.

[Mick Dempsey]

I felt sorry for you, sitting there without an answer, so I panicked and said something.

Don't hate me:blushing:

[Mick Dempsey]

Seriously though it's no specimen, just shrug your shoulders and tell them nothing lives for ever. Tell them it's not its natural environment, that in its native West coast of America/Atlas Mountains/Carpathian Mountains it is used to more water/less water/ higher/ lower temperatures and the recent change in climate has done for it..

[Joe Newton]

Agreed, doesn't matter, it's coming down.

 

Honey Fungus is always a good default, plus it means you can usually fell the rest of their trees.

[Kveldssanger]

Hahah I don't hate you, man! It's a tree we manage - I'm a tree officer. It's within a churchyard and I am curious as to the cause of the decline. It'll be one that will be taken down, I would very much imagine, in the coming time.

 

Depending on the diagnosis, it may influence what is replanted.

[flatyre]

Just tell them all trees go to heaven!

[Darrin Turnbull]

It's the dog peeing side.

[Gary Prentice]

Any recent changes?

 

Normally find that after digging around the buttresses, removing a bit off the bark etc, I still don't know!