cryptomeria japonica - dying back

I planted a cryptomeria tree 3 years ago in the fall. Tree specialists say it was planted at the correct depth. Each year it puts on beautiful new growth. Then, a month later (in July), the inner needles turn orange, then brown and hang on to branch. Most of the new growth is not affected.

The front side of the tree gets a lot of light and the back is in mostly shade. The problem is more serious on the backside, but it is prevalent in the front, too.

I have consulted a tree specialist and Cornell Extension who have taken samples. But, there is disagreement about whether there is a fungus or oyster shell infection. A third opinion thinks the discoloration is natural to the species.

Can anyone advise me?

Could it be the normal loss of old needles?

Scott

Scott, I have wondered the same, but the loss of needles in evergreens that I am familiar with occurs earlier than July and the needles don't turn this bright orange color. The pattern here seems to be very different.

Has anybody had a similar experience with a cryptomeria?

I have 3 large trees and they all do the same.Some of the branches die and snap off readily from the trunk while the other branches are green and healthy.
Charlie

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 7:07 PM

Charlie, how do your trees look over time? Do they get thin and scraggly or do the dead areas fill out again?

I had a lot of hurricane damage the last couple of years.I doubt they will return to their prior beauty.This one is being crowded out by a Cunninghamia lancealata.I had two others that were uprooted by the storms.

This is a young tree

This is a closeup of the folliage

Peckhaus,
Sounds more like what a Chamaecyparis pisifera might do in my environment. Although my ten year old cryptomeria's are all dwarfs the only difficulty I have with them is they put out new growth prior to my last spring killing frost and each year I will loose a section of new growth. Because of the interior needle drop I tend to think that this is the result of fungus but that is just and educated guess. kt

Hemental, thanks for the photos. I realized after seeing them that I have a slightly different cultivar. I believe I have the chryptomeria japonica elegans (maybe elegans aurea). I'm not able to take a photo of my own tree right now, but I did found one on the internet that looks very much like the problem I have. Maybe the tree is susceptible to rust?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/242.shtml

Does anyone have any advice?

Cryptomeria japonica 'Elegans' turns purple-brown in winter naturally, that's normal. It goes back to green in the spring.

Resin

I've had Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon' in my woodland garden area for four years now. In the spring it looks dead,, but leafs out okay. Now this year may not as we have had a very long cold winter already, and spring isn't even close. We have had a good altho frozen snow cover for all of Jan.

Donna

There is a disease the Cryptomatia gets sometimes. Can't think of what it is off hand. There are several on Auburns campus showing the disease. Will see if I can find out what it was called during class during the week.

I do remember that they said the best thing was just to get in there and trim the branches out. I also remeberign askign at the time if they knew the trees were susceptable to this disease why did they go and plant so many. The response was they didn't think it was really all that bad.

Starlight, I would be very interested to know what you can find out. Thanks!

I tried to day, but most all the professor at some meeting now at Mobile. Most won't be back til tommorrow or weds.

If my car wouldn't of broke down again, I would have been there at the too at the Gulf Shores and especially to meeting and chatting Hemental. Charged me $160.00 to put in spark plugs and a distributor cap and wires. Think I got ripped off, but don't have enough muscle to get the spark plugs out and that was only place free. : (

Gonna just have to rent a decent vechicle one day and head to Ms.

Ok soem of the professors are finally back from the Guld shore show. I don't have my piece of paper with me so I can't remember the name of the disease off hand. Will get later for ya, pressed for time here today, sorry.

The disease problem is the same one as for Leyland Cypress. Once he said that then I remembered. The way to treat it is with a copper fungicide. Can't for the life of me remember which brand name chem that is.

Maybe somebody else off hand will know. If not I will google it for ya later when I get back.

Use the copper fungicide and cut the dead branch back to the shoulder.

Ok, I'm Back! LOL Sure ya loving to hear that. The disease is called. Cercospora needle blight.

While this is article is on the Leyland Cypress. It tells you all about the Cercospora needle blight.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Ornamental/odin17/od17.htm

Just scroll down a bit til you find that section.

Starlight, Thank you so much for link and making such an effort! I read the article, and the descpription sounds very much like what is happening to our tree. How did you ever find this information?

Seeing the tree and seeign the disease for myself then all I had to was google " diseases of and the species." Plant patholgy is my minor I studying and a few years ago I learned to google " diseases of (species name)". That brings up all the scientific reports that are out there from colleges and growers and studies usually.