Sick CEDARS!

[lulanna]

I have a quite a few Cedar trees and Firs on my property as does my neighborhood (Notrthwest). Last year one of my cedars started turning brown at the top and the brown started working it's way downward. I had it removed not thinking too much of it. Just lately, I've noticed nearly ALL my cedars (and others in the neighborhood) have brown patches at the base of the branches throughout. From reading, it sounds like a fungus that was transported to the US probably around the 1920's in Asian plants, and has now made it's way everywhere. It seems to be lethal to Cedars.
If this is it, is there any treatment? Are these trees doomed?
Do Cedar trees ever go through a "shedding process" where I may just be misjudging this?
Many thanks!

 

[Stumper]

Any possibility of you posting a picture? There are some fungal diseases that attack junipers but in my area browning usually turn out to be due to spider mite infestaton. Given your location, are your trees Junipers or a "true" cedars?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Northwest USA is still to broad of a region. Look at teh big defferance between east and west Oregon & Washington.

Wish we had a manditory city location for these types of posts.

 

[lulanna]

Sick Cedars...

Im sorry John...I live just outside of Portland, Oregon.
I know about the Juniper bush turning brown due to either a fungus or virus...I've seen it happen. These Cedars are not TRUE cedars as I don't think we really have any here in the NW (from what I've read)...but we all classify them as this because it is the closest thing.
I will try to get a picture to aid the visual discription!
Thanks,
Lu

 

[Don McQuilliams]

Being an arborist from the Seattle area, maybe I can help. You are most likely talking about the Western red cedar tree (Thuja plicata). Typically this tree is rather resistant to disease and fungal infection. One thing to be aware of is that Western red cedars exhibit an effect refered to around here as "flagging" in which many of the scale like leaves will turn brown and fall off this time of the year. This should not effect an entire branch but it should have a scattered look to it throughout the tree while the remainder of the tree will have good color and vigor. If the tree is turning brown from the top down and everything is dying on the way down, you have some more serious problems. Since these effects in Western red cedars are usually attributed to outside interference, I have to ask, has there been any changes around the trees (change in ground surface grade, additional water being added to the site, root excavations nearby, etc...) The main reason I see Western reds die back from the top down around here is root damage or flooding of the site. Feel free to e-mail a picture directly and I can try to gather more info. for you. Good luck.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

SICK CEDARS

First, I must add that this site forum is very enjoyable and entertaining. Several great ideas have surfaced here.

About your Cedar:

Is it a Cedar?

I live in Beaverton, Oregon, just west of Portland; quite near to you.

When I went to college here, plant identification for the evergreen class included among other trees, the Western Red Cedar, and also the Port Orford Cedar.

When you turn the sprays of foliage upside down, there should be an accumulation under the foliage that is white color, referred to in come circles as "bloom". Not "a" bloom as in a flower, but just "bloom".

If I have this right, the marking under the Western Red Cedar foliage will resemble little white bow tie shapes. And the Port Orford Cedar markings will resemble little "x" shapes.

It may take several limbs to find this, because the time of year and location of the tree can affect how obvious these are.

Western Red Cedar can get problems.

I'm bringing this up because if its a Port Orford Cedar, they are notorious for problems dealing with water/fungus/roots.

If they are Port Orford Cedar, its not worth the battle. And their death does not indicate serious soil problems - although there could be problems.

Also, Western Red Cedars are called Cedars, but are not really Cedars. Real Cedars are the genus Cedrus, including Deodar Cedar and the Blue Atlas Cedar. Western Red Cedar is Thuja (thooyah) and is a large source of so-called "Cedar" wood.

This latter is classified in the same genus as Arborvitae, the narrow evergreens popular for Pacific NW hedges.

Columbia Edgewater Country Club had so many problems with Port Orford Cedar (also not a Cedrus), that they started cutting them down before they even died as part of their tree replacement program.

If you want a fun class for learning in Portland area, P.C.C. in Rock Creek area has evergreen i.d. starting winter term. And I am sure that on the east side, Mt. Hood Community College has their version.

Usually the age of the students averages much older than other classes, so its common to have people from 20 to 60 years old.

Hard to feel out of place.

Mario Vaden
Landscape Designer / Arborist

M.D. Vaden Trees & Landscapes, Beaverton, Oregon

[email protected]

M.

 

[lulanna]

About those Cedars...
Don was right. Those rusty brown spots did fall off leaving only the dark green areas. I've noticed it all over, they have shed and seem fine. I was in Japan last winter & fall so it didn't occur to me. And the 2 years befor that I just didn't notice I guess! Does this happen every year?
Thank you Don and M C Vaden for trying to help figure out my quandry. I love Cedars, and am now releived!
Luanne
Beaverton, OR

 

[M.D. Vaden]

SICK NO MORE CEDARS

Noticed you are in Beaverton too.

Nice your trees are okay.

Did you figure out which genus they are?

Lately I've been telling several people about the Evergreen ID class at PCC - winter term starting January I think.

Those classes can be fun. Average age tends to run on the high side.

The shedding foliage in late summer and fall causes so many concerns, that we included it in our website advice as a source for people to go to for a general explanation.

Mario Vaden
Landscape Designer / Arborist
M.D. Vaden - Trees & Landscapes
Beaverton, Oregon