| Occasional Problems | |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | Probable Causes |
| Needles Drop In Spring Or Fall - All evergreens drop some of their foliage every year, usually in the fall. Often some brown, dead needles are visible on a cedar at the same time the deciduous trees and shrubs are showing their fall color. | Normal Leaf Senescence - Normal leaf drop may occur annually or every second or third year, but if brown foliage appears at other times of the year or on leaf tips, the tree may have spider mites or be suffering from an environmental problem |
| Foliage Discolored; Drops Early - | Salt Damage - Cedars sited near sidewalks, driveways or streets are at risk from de-icing salts used during the winter in the North. They may drop needles prematurely in the spring. Later in the season, as the salt leaches out of the soil, healthy foliage growth resumes |
| Branch Tips and Twigs Die | Deodar Weevils - Deodar weevils attack Deodar, Atlas and Lebanon Cedars. The snouted beetles lay their eggs in the bark, from which white grubs burrow into the cambial layer of the wood, girdling the branch. Eventually leaders and terminal twigs turn brown and die. Small trees may be killed. |
| Needles Discolored In Summer | Spider Mites - Spider mite damage usually shows up in the summer, when needles on affected branches turn bronze. Look for the tiny mites on the undersides of needles. Since mites are related to spiders, the presence of webs also indicates mite infestation. |
