This article was published by Michigan State University Extension.

Needles will stay on a spruce tree for years before dropping, typically from the inside of the tree and on older branches. Environmental factors can influence this cycle as well; for example, a tree that is under stress from things like drought, soil compaction or excessive moisture will enhance needle stumpclearing.barted Reading Time: 3 mins.

May 18, Symptoms of needle cast disease Older needles closer to the trunk of the tree become discolored and fall off mid-summer, leaving the tree looking thin Damage typically starts on the lower branches and moves up the tree affecting susceptible spruce trees. May 18, I have a dwarf blue spruce that is about 10 years old, which has begun dropping needles at an alarming rate. The bottom branches are bare and dead, and the disease has spread to all but this year's new growth. The needles turn brown, and just touching the tree causes them to fall off."Sudden needle drop" Another problem has been noted recently on spruce in several states, including Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, and Minnesota.

Needles on the older growth of individual branches quickly turn yellow or brown before falling off, usually leaving behind only the newest growth.

Affected branches may be scattered through the canopy. Jun 28, 1.

I will let you know what the pathologist says.

Gall adelgids. Adelgids are small insects that feed on shoots by sucking plant sap. As they do so, they cause the 2.

Spruce spider mites. Spruce spider mites cause needle discoloration and eventually kill needles, which can be. Oct 08, Those needles are dropped singly and are rarely noticed. Each kind of evergreen, like pine, spruce, fir and arborvitae, have needles with invisible “timers” that eventually go off and the needle dies. The trees have been doing this for as long as evergreens have existed. Those times expire in the fall of the stumpclearing.barted Reading Time: 4 mins.