Plant Pathology Infobytes

November 6, 1996
What's Wrong With My Pine Tree?

It's the time of year when County Extension Offices receive calls from concerned homeowners about browning of pine tree needles. This entirely normal process is often mistaken for a serious disease or insect problem. Homeowners should be assured that pests aren't necessarily involved, but rather it's probably just Mother Nature at work.

Loblolly, longleaf, slash, and shortleaf pines go through a natural process of shedding their oldest needles (the inner most needles on branches or needles near the trunk) in the autumn. Usually the old needles turn yellow and then straw colored to brown before dropping. In a similar fashion, Southern magnolias hold onto leaves for several seasons before finally shedding them. However, loss of the older foliage from magnolias generally occurs earlier in the year during the summer.

All trees and shrubs have to renew their foliage annually, producing new leaves and then shedding old ones. The leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs live only a few months, whereas those of evergreens live from one to several years, depending on the species. After producing new leaves, evergreens shed the oldest ones.

Occasionally fungus needle blights may be involved in browning of pine needles, but such blights are more unsightly than anything else and usually are not responsible for significant damage to trees.

Check with us at the County Extension Office if you have questions concerning the health of your trees or other landscape plants. Remember, just because it turns brown is not always an indication that you have a sick plant on your hands!


Written by the late Dr. Frank Killebrew

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