We Live In Suburban Colorado And Have 30 Foot Tall…
Elly Asked
We live in suburban Colorado and have 30 foot tall evergreen trees that are suddenly losing the ends of their branches while they are still green and healthy. What would cause this? Is there a bug or animal that is chewing off the ends?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Elly in Colorado: There are a few different possibilities when it comes to the tips of evergreens defoliating. The most common would be due to winter burn; this occurs when the new growth is not hardened off in the fall before the winter arrives and this tender growth is essentially burned by the winter temperatures and wind. It also happens if the evergreens go into the winter months without sufficient moisture. If you had a dry fall and the ground froze, the plants would not be able to uptake any water and as a result the tips would burn. Not knowing exactly what evergreens you are growing I cannot give you specifics in terms of insects and diseases that could potentially be the cause of the defoliation. There are a few different tip borers that affect certain evergreens such as pines, but you can always take a sample to your county Cooperative Extension Service for the horticulture agent to diagnose. Depending on the evergreens you are growing they may or may not put on any new growth to replace the lost. Unfortunately it will be a waiting game but it is a good idea to have someone take a look at a sample to make sure it is not an insect problem that could lead to more damage.
