Need id and advice

[stanley.gardner]

Hi guys,
could you id this tree and tell me what went wrong since it's drying in the middle and on the side facing balcony, becoming crispy and brown.
I have four of them and all are showing the similar symptoms. What should I do to improve the condition of the trees?
Thanks

===== Tree large picture =====

[img]https://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3444/treebig1.jpg[/img]

===== Tree detail =====

[img]https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4642/treedetail1.jpg[/img]

[bonsaiboy]

Funny, I don't know what these trees are called, but I have some growing to, that showed the same thing that one is. I think it is a kind of fungi, but I'm not sure. With mine, the problem went away after a while, leaving a few healthy branches that are growing back. I cannot make any recommendations, other than the problem may go away on its own.

[Earl K]

I also have one of these trees,It came as a mini x-mas tree 3 yrs. ago.Not sure what it is but mine looks the same way.

[Kisal]

Isn't that an arborvitae? I have no idea what's wrong with it, though. I have read that they aren't all that long-lived, but I don't know whether that's true or not. [img]https://bestsmileys.com/clueless/4.gif[/img]

[stanley.gardner]

Appreciate the help guys,
your answers were helpful to me since I am a complete novice in gardening matters.
Kisal you must be right that the tree is some kind of arborvitae (thuja) probably thuja occidentalis, because the descriptions and pictures are matching. Thanks for resolving this mystery