Mountain Hemlock

[Patrick treeguy]

Client of mine has a mountain hemlock, it had 3 main leaders and one just broke off.
It appeared to have root rot.
It's been growing for the last 8 years appearing to be doing well.
It has great twig elongation in upper 50% of canopy but in lower canopy it has some compressed growth and on the needles there is a black color type of stuff on the needles.
She was told soap and water would clear the issue up so she did and it worked.
Yet it has come back again, I cannot figure out what it is that is the black film on the needles. Can anyone help me identify what it is ?
And what I could do to treat it for her ?

 

[Del_]

Might be:

http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/hemlock/hwa05.htm

 

[Patrick treeguy]

Thanks I already ruled that out. That was my first thought as well

Might be:

http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/hemlock/hwa05.htm

 

[Jason Douglas]

Black film is usually black sooty mold. Sucking insects crap out sugar-rich excrement that coats the needles which is then colonized by the mold as a food source. ID the insect problem first.

Where are you located?

Adelgids and scales can be quite problematic on Tsuga.

 

[Patrick treeguy]

Black film is usually black sooty mold. Sucking insects crap out sugar-rich excrement that coats the needles which is then colonized by the mold as a food source. ID the insect problem first.

Where are you located?

Adelgids and scales can be quite problematic on Tsuga.

Jason
I'm located in western Washington.
I did a thorough investigation looking for any sign of bugs.
Guess I'll go back because I did focus mainly on the adelgids, now that you mentioned it out loud it could very well be mold as you said because it's on the surface.
Thank you so much Jason I will look into this a bit more.
I'll let you know end results as well.
Thanks again

 

[Gypo Logger]

Sometimes hanging a bird feeder or two in a tree will solve a bug problem, but then woodpecker can create their own problem. Nuthaches and chickadees are good though.

 

[redlawn 78]

scale insects are easily overlooked because they look like little brown bumps. if you do spot these, they come off easily with a scratch of a fingernail. Of course, if that is the problem, eradicating them will be quite a task.