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.

What's killing my Italian Cypress Trees

dmturner76dmturner76 Posts: 3
in Problem solving

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my Italian Cypress trees. 

I planted them last year and they have grown really well. However I've notice the ends are ting and it looks like something is either growing on them or spun a web around them. 

There are a lot of spiders at the end of the garden so maybe it could be them. I did see one large green caterpillar yesterday but other than that I can see nothing living on them. 

The roots tops were showing so I have covered in compost but because of the white stuff on them I'm not sure this is the causes.

I am desperate  save them. 

 image

image

image

Thank you

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Moth caterpillars are the culprit and they spin silk to protect themselves from birds etc.  If you are in the UK then it's likely one of these:

    http://www.northumberlandmoths.org.uk/foodplants.php?foodplant=Coniferous%20trees

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845

    Hi you don't say where you are?

    I bought some three years ago, sunk the pots and lifted them to overwinter.

    last year we decided to pant them and lucky for us it has been a mild winter and they seem fine, yours are not right at all but I havent seen this before. If it was me I would take the photos and go back to where you bought them.

    we used to have a conifer expert, maybe he will pick up your thread

    good luck, they are lovely trees

    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236

    I think Bob is spot on re Moth caterpillars, and if you are in the UK then it's probably Tortrix / Light Brown Apple Moth caterpillars.

    Open up the silk and see if there is one of these inside.

    image

  • dmturner76dmturner76 Posts: 3

    Thanks for your replies. Yes I am in the U.K. 

    I will check to see if there are caterpillar. As I mentioned I did see one on the tree. 

    I have sprayed the trees so hopefully this will kill them. 

  • dmturner76dmturner76 Posts: 3

    Bob/Shep, 

    Thankyou, absolutely spot on. I have spent the day picking little caterpillars out of the webbed cacoons on my trees. 

    I cannot believe that such little things can create so much damage. I guess because my trees are so you the damage is greater. 

    So glad I know the cause. I just have to try to keep them away now. ??

Sign In or Register to comment.