See our Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid page for more information. This difficulty is made worse by the spruce’s dense lower limbs, which obscure the view of the tree base. Mature spruce aphids have olive-green bodies (young aphids are a lighter green) and two sets of wings.. This appears as small white dots on the interior needles of the tree. The most common blue spruce pests in the landscape are two insects that do mostly aesthetic damage; the Cooley spruce gall and white pine weevil. For ongoing problems with these insect pests, you can take preventive measures—but it requires good timing. piceae), is the most prevalent and destructive fungal disease of Norway and Colorado blue spruce. For aphids, you can spray in January, when their life cycle begins. In most cases, old galls are covered by new growth the following season and become almost unnoticeable within a few years. See our Ips Beetle page for more details. Covering the Foothills & Mountains West of Denver, Exposure: Full sun to partial sun (not partial shade), Leaves: Waxy gray-green needles up to 1 ½ inch long, Firewise? Conifers are, overall, less fire-wise than other types of trees, Drought-tolerant? Blue spruce is also attacked by a bark beetle, similar to the pine beetle, that can cause extensive damage to the tree. Spruce bark beetle problems can be harder to get ahead of because diagnosis is more difficult. • Usually feeds on needles in open-grown clusters of trees. This damage, known as a shepherds’ crook, will occur annually to the tree unless the weevils are controlled. Plant blue spruce in an area with well-draining soil, as water pooling can lead to rotting roots. Blue spruce trees are deer-resistant, so they are often planted on the edge of a property to discourage deer from entering. Three primary diseases affect blue spruce and lead to dead or leafless branches: Cooley Spruce Galls. Colorado State University Extension, Spruce: Spruce Aphid. Yes, but not as tolerant as other trees in our area, Where to Plant: Does not tolerate flooding or full shade, good as a windbreak, prefers moist areas, Brown, pinecone-like growths at the end of branches – Cooley spruce gall adelgid, Top of the tree dies back and can curve – White pine weevil, Small white dots on the interior of the tree – Pine needle scale, Branches die back, bark falls off, sawdust – IPS/engraver beetles, Sap and/or pitch masses on the bark – Spruce beetle, The needles of the Colorado blue spruce have a slight blue-green tint. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Other pests and diseases are less common but can cause more damage. There’s no need to remove the galls. The Cooley spruce gall looks a little like a 2- to 4-inch long prickly cucumber. © 2020 LAM Tree Service, Inc. All rights reserved. You can find more information about the striped pine scale on our Scale Insects page. All of these problems can be exacerbated by drought stress, poor soil conditions, mechanical damage, and climatic conditions such as high humidity. Mature blue spruce in the Colorado Front Range will be found as tall as 75 feet tall and 30 feet wide, although they tend to be a little smaller when planted in your yard. Blue spruce trees also tend to grow best in more acidic soils with lots of organic matter and depth, and are often found near areas where water runoff accumulates. Picea pungens and its many cultivars are often grown as ornamental trees in gardens and parks. Bare or dying branches on a Colorado blue spruce tree are commonly caused by a few different insect pests or one or more diseases. These are the insects' egg sacs. The best way to tell if you have an infestation of Cooley spruce gall adelgid is to look for a cotton-like substance on tree branches. You can always call us for advice on where to plant your new tree(s) and don’t forget that we offer professional tree planting services if you don’t want to do it yourself! The most common of these is spruce broom rust. Blue spruce is the state tree of Colorado and is often referred to as the “Colorado blue spruce,” but also goes by the names green spruce, white spruce, and Colorado spruce. Pests like aphids, mealybugs and spider mites are usually minor. Pungens means “sharply pointed,” referring to the blue spruce’s needles. Timing of Ips beetle treatment is the same regardless of the host tree. We’ve recently seen many spruce trees getting attacked by a scale insect called pine needle scale. Cytospora canker rarely affect… Treatments for scale should be done in April and early May, depending on the season’s temperatures. If you see gall adelgid or aphids on your Colorado blue spruce tree, try spraying first with Neem oil. Depending on weather conditions, treatment can happen as early as February or as late as April. Ips beetles also damage spruce, usually attacking stressed trees (much like they do with pine trees). This is done during the cold months when the tree is dormant and not actively growing. Susceptibility varies widely among species, but generally trees under stress or growing outside their natural range are more prone to the disease. Bagworms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) are one type of pest that attacks blue spruce trees, in addition to other hosts, such as crabapples (Malus spp. Call us at 303-674-8733 or contact us online to get a free estimate for tree planting, general tree services or any aspect of our Plant Health Care program. The Colorado blue spruce, or Picea pungens, is a favorite choice for Christmas trees as well as a robust and substantial addition to a landscape. Our state tree can be found growing in the drainages and along streams, creeks, and rivers in riparian settings. These are the insects' egg sacs. Both of these pests are treated in spring and late summer/early fall. Even though it is known for its drought tolerance in other parts of the country, in our area blue spruce has the highest water requirement of the native conifers.
Taylor Academy 12e Vs 10e,
Ishraq Namaz Time In Hyderabad,
Automatic Plant Watering System Indoor,
Samsung Notebook 9 Pro Review 2020,
Eggplant Tofu Recipe,
Vegan Sauce For Falafel Wrap,
Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener 4643,
Bon Marche Sale Skirts,