Need some help with Lawson’s Cypress

[ClimbingTN]

I looked at this tree today for a neighbor. It’s about 25-30 foot and unknown age but, it’s well established. It has several leaders from the ground. I did the usual search but, wanted to see if someone has 1st hand knowledge. I probed around and didn’t find pests, root girdling and the ground seems like good moisture. It has some browning going on. Although browning, a knife scrape looks like the affected branches are alive. I’m not familiar with this tree. Could it be just needle drop? I’ve seen cypress loose almost every needle and come back greener than before. What ya think and what else should I suggest?

 

[evo]

Around here they seem to spiral fast often due to phytophoria. They like water but have to have excellent drainage.
Take a magnifying glass and look at the stomata on the under side, any black dots?
They do seem prone to spider mites, shake an effected limb over a black paper, do the same with a white paper. Any crawling dots?
It’s odd for them to desiccate in that dusty color, more often they flag red.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

How's drainage at the site? Nearly look like it's too wet.

 

[ClimbingTN]

@evo and @Brando CalPankian BCMA I’m having the neighbor do the tests. The tree is at about the middle of the driveway. It gets run off but, we haven’t had a lot lately. I was considering too much water but, it’s been thriving for the last few years they lived there.

 

[evo]

@evo and @Brando CalPankian BCMA I’m having the neighbor do the tests. The tree is at about the middle of the driveway. It gets run off but, we haven’t had a lot lately. I was considering too much water but, it’s been thriving for the last few years they lived there.

Got some super close up photos of the affected area? And some general site photos?

 

[ClimbingTN]

Not yet but, I will when I get back on that side of town.

 

[ClimbingTN]

@evo Small whitish bugs on black paper. Is there a non restricted chemical option? I found a few Bayer brand sprays at the home improvement store but, I wanted to ask before suggesting something. I’ll suggest something. It’s not my thing and I don’t want the liability. I’ll say do at your own discretion or call someone with an applicator license.

 

[evo]

Probably spider mites? I don’t play with chemicals some else would be able to offer much more than I.
Id look into neem oil or predatory beneficials

 

[Brando CalPankian]

Hort oil depending on the type of mite. Take samples and send them to your university extension if you don't know for sure what they are. Miticides are brutal.

 

[ClimbingTN]

Should I prune the brown branches? I scraped them an still green under bark

 

[evo]

the only reason I would consider is an attempt at tracking the rate of infected/affected.. they can throw out Epicormic growth.
Down the street there is a stob of a western red cedar that was removed and left as a snag. Damn thing sprouted and there’s a new 30’ trunk hanging off the side of it. It’s possible but not the norm.

There is also an argument to let the tree pull the remaining resources fully from the dying limb. I can’t see how leaving them would hurt a thing, but I can see little to no benefit of taking them

 

[ClimbingTN]

the only reason I would consider is an attempt at tracking the rate of infected/affected.. they can throw out Epicormic growth.
Down the street there is a stob of a western red cedar that was removed and left as a snag. Damn thing sprouted and there’s a new 30’ trunk hanging off the side of it. It’s possible but not the norm.

There is also an argument to let the tree pull the remaining resources fully from the dying limb. I can’t see how leaving them would hurt a thing, but I can see little to no benefit of taking them

Thanks that’s exactly what I was thinking.