blackbelt2047
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:03 pm

Blue star juniper tree HELP!

image3.JPG
image1.JPG
Hello everyone, we have 2 blue star juniper trees at the corners of our front yard that are starting to not look so good. My wife and I are not versed in botany and I really need your guys' help on this. About a month ago, one of the trees got attacked by bagworms and I pulled about 25 of the little nasty suckers off of one of the trees. The other tree did not have any on it and it was physically located on the opposite side of the front yard. I realized that the bagworms probably killed off some of this tree, but it looks like it is getting worse week by week. Is there anything that we can do to help this through this? Again, we are newbies here, so any help would be greatly appreciated!!.
Attachments
image2.JPG

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The bagworms could certainly have been the cause of the browning. Browning needles can be caused by other things but the solution is always the same. Check the plants often, Remove the pest or spray with a fungicide if it is a disease. Cut off the dead parts and promote good air circulation and feed and water the plant properly.

Junipers are plants that don't show a lot of symptoms until they are in really bad shape. Sometimes before you notice it, the problem may be so severe you won't be able to save the plant. In that case, you may have to replace it with a more resistant cultivar.
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/p ... c2056.html

blackbelt2047
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:03 pm

Thanks for the reply. Can you recommend a certain fungicide that we would need to find? Thanks!!

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Fungicides only work if you get to the problem early. The Clemson link has suggestions. You may have to find trade names for things like mancozeb. Your problem was probably aggravated by the feeding of the bagworms. Cut out the injured parts and use the fungicide to try to prevent a secondary infection of the fungi.

blackbelt2047
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:03 pm

So I went out to trim off the dead areas. When I was trimming it, it looks like the branches are dying from the inside by the trunk. This isn't what they are supposed to look like, correct? Is this tree a goner?
Attachments
IMG_6316.JPG
IMG_6315.JPG
IMG_6314.JPG

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The tips are still green so those branches are still alive. Only the ones that are totally brown are dead. There is always some normal leaf browning in the center as the plant ages, cut out the dead needles or just wait and they will drop on their own. Shake the branch on top of white paper to see if any bugs (spider mites) fall out.
https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department ... /agdex4144



Return to “Trees, Shrubs, and Hedges”