Ashe Juniper - Question?

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harker2 Harker Heights, TX(Zone 8a) Feb 09, 2006

Have an acre land with back half having old growth of what I believe to be Ashe Juniper. Many of these trees have lower limbs that are dead and have white rings around some of the limbs. Suspect that maybe the lower limbs died since the sun is blocked but not certain. Have taken a limited area and cleared the lower dead limbs but left all that had green leaves. It actually seems to have some open potential while maintaining the trees. Guess the question is: are these white rings indicative of a disease or just normal juniper aging process? The white rings are also on some of the limbs that have green leaves on it? Is it good to trim these dead limbs off and will it allow the trees to grow better? Do not have picture but will try to get one this weekend - if I can figure it out? Thanks

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Feb 09, 2006

You're in the right area for Ashe Juniper to be the likely species.

I'd suspect this is just natural shading out of the lower branches (junipers are very sun-demanding), followed by fungi colonising the dead or dying branches. Time to start worrying is if you find any fungus and dieback on the healthy branches in the upper crowns or on the main stems.

Resin

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Feb 09, 2006

Tough to say what the rings are without seeing a close view of them. Absent any other info, I agree with Resin. The lower limbs also might have been killed by previous ground fires if there is a grassy ground layer. As for trimming, they probably have lived 200 years or more without such attention. On this type of tree, removal of dead lower limbs is done mostly for aesthetic reasons.

Guy S.

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harker2 Harker Heights, TX(Zone 8a) Feb 10, 2006

Thanks. Suspect it is probably just absence of sun. The tops of trees are still green and flourishing. How would one diagnose a fungus-among-us? Can you recommend where to take the biopsy? Also agree that they have been here for quite some time. Basically figured if nothing else it was therapeutic to get out and cut off those branches. Long days at work but will try to post pictures this weekend to show you what I have done. Thanks again for your advice and assistance. H2

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