Norway Spruce

[Jace]

Here is a distant picture of this tree back in May. It is the one on the right :

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135618&d=1272918160



Here is the same tree after I removed the dead(the same day back in May)

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=135619&d=1272918173




Well....its been nearly 5 months now, and this is what the tree looks like now, see below:

I could get some close up trunk shots if need be.
Is this Cytospora Canker? And regardles...do I need to worry about it spreading to the other tree. I suppose I should remove it ASAP just incase..??
Any opinions?

 

[Urban Forester]

Cytospora in a Norway spruce is rare, but possible. Is there sap loss in the affected branches? If so, look for black lesions within the sap, they are visable to the naked eye. I noted the trunk has limited root flare on the left side, a closeup of the root flare may help. This may be more of a root issue than a pathogen. However weak trees are always more of a target for disease activity.

 

[Jace]

Cytospora in a Norway spruce is rare, but possible. Is there sap loss in the affected branches? If so, look for black lesions within the sap, they are visable to the naked eye. I noted the trunk has limited root flare on the left side, a closeup of the root flare may help. This may be more of a root issue than a pathogen. However weak trees are always more of a target for disease activity.

Here are some more photos. Please let me know what U think.

 

[Jace]

A few more

 

[Urban Forester]

#006 shows a flat side going right into the ground this would seem to suggest a girdling root. The lower trunk also appears to be BADLY deformed (swollen?). I can't say that I've EVER seen a Norway with a trunk like that, it does not bode well. It appears that this tree is slowly shutting down. I don't have high hopes for its survival...

 

[Jace]

#006 shows a flat side going right into the ground this would seem to suggest a girdling root. The lower trunk also appears to be BADLY deformed (swollen?). I can't say that I've EVER seen a Norway with a trunk like that, it does not bode well. It appears that this tree is slowly shutting down. I don't have high hopes for its survival...

I think I may hand dig around the base of the trunk, especially by the flat area U mentioned, and see if I see a girdling root. He has had other Norways die that were once in this row of about 6-7 trees. Just 3 left I think. Im not sure why the others died, or if they died all for the same reason. Possibly planting them wrong, who knows. Thanks for taking the time to look at these pictures and give your opinion UF, I appreciate it.

 

[Urban Forester]

He may have gotten all of them from the same place, and they were predisposed to root issues because of genetics, balled/burlapped too long (prior to planting) and/or poor planting techniques were used. Norways are fairly tough trees and can tolerate just about anything so I would have to believe that the decline of this GROUP means they all have some problem in common.

 

[Jace]

More photos of Trunk Flare

 

[Jace]

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[Jace]

more...

 

[Jace]

Any more thots after seeing these other photos, U.F.? Looks like maybe canker to me.

 

[Urban Forester]

Thats an awesome root crown you did. Its not girdled, but that trunk deformation HAS to be affecting vascular movement, its the worst trunk I've EVER seen. It could be a canker disease, not cytospora. Either way the tree is in deep trouble.

 

[Jace]

Thats an awesome root crown you did. Its not girdled, but that trunk deformation HAS to be affecting vascular movement, its the worst trunk I've EVER seen. It could be a canker disease, not cytospora. Either way the tree is in deep trouble.

I went ahead and removed the tree yesterday. Theres nothing I could think of that I could do to really help it or turn it around at this point.

Im not very familiar at all with the labs that test for tree diseases, so I was wondering about sending off a small twig with green needles still on it, to see if anything could be found out of maybe why it was dieing, just incase it was something that could effect the other 2 trees(rather than a planting/ or root problem. Is that a waste of time? Im not sure what all those tests pickup either.

( I already did a soil anaylsis)