Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Colorado Spruce Inner needles brown

BuchBuch Posts: 40
in Problem solving
Picea pungens Fat Albert





The inner needles have turned brown over the past few months, it's been in the same spot for a couple of years.

Is it dying, or damaged? It's growing in an exposed position. A Korean Fir nearby is doing fine.

Posts

  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    The majority of blue cultivars of Picea pungens are very prone to infestations of aphids or red-spider mite which can often cause browning of the needles . This years growth looks healthy though.
    In your case I think the 'problem' is purely natural ; old needles turning brown prior to dropping off .
    The other negative factor is the new blue growth contrasts badly with the reddish brown bare branches of older stems .
    I used to grow P.pungens 'Koster' , apparently one of the better forms ; it was OK for the first ten-years , then as the older branches became bare it looked quite unsightly ; made decent firewood though ;)

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    On any plant called "evergreen". (everblue?) the leaves don't last forever.  Sometimes two years sometimes more.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Sign In or Register to comment.