Blue Spruce loosing it's needles

[KC_JAKE]

I have 4 large-sized blue spruces in the back of my yard - one of them is loosing needles like crazy. Basically you can flick your finger on a branch and the needles come flying off. The soil type is rocky and lots of clay I believe. I assume it's not the best locale for these types of trees? It gets lots of sun and heat during the summer - I have read that it could be some type of fungus? What are your thoughts?

My name is Jason by the way - just joined your forum to get some help and learn. Thanks guys!

 

[ronnyb]

Cytospora- look for whitish pitch flow on trunk and branches that are loosing needles. Rhizospheara- look for purple/brown needles typically dropping off from inside to outside of branches. Both are fungal problems.

 

[Loraxguy]

Blue spruce problems

If it is Cystopora canker the only thing you can do is prune out the branches that are infected. Rhizospheara will have black spots/fruit bodies from the underside of the needles coming out of stomates. If it doesn't have the black fruit coming out then it's not Rhizospheara needlecast. If the second/thrid year stems have small black dots along the stem then the tree has a condition called Sneed--Sudden needle drop-The second yr needles turn a purple brown and drop prematurely. The needle cast and SNEED can be treated with a common fungicide--------

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

blue spruce

You have four tree in a row? Is the worst one in the most shade through the day?