Knowledgebase
dying white pine #894246
Asked March 12, 2025, 3:49 PM EDT
I have a white pine that is dying. It is about 7 or 8 feet tall and I planted it as a seedling about 7 years ago. The needles began wilting severely last October or November and are now turning brown. It appears to me as though water is not rising through the tree. I cannot identify any blight or fungus and the symptoms make it appear as though it has an infestation of nematodes. (This is what happens when a layman has access to Google!)
I can bring in a sample limb if that would help and provide pictures as well.
Thank you for your response and your help.
Mark Brooks
PS: It has declined appreciable since these pictures were taken a month or so ago.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
The photos came through at low resolution, so it is difficult to clearly see detail. These appear to be planted near Arborvitae than seem to be doing well. Arborvitae can tolerate pH up to 8.0, but white pine trees require acidic soil. Do you happen to know the pH of your soil, or whether there are other pine trees that are doing well nearby?
There are many possibilities, but this generalized decline typically indicates a root problem. Given the age and size of the tree, it may trace back to a problem at planting. The tree may not be suitable to the location (e.g., high pH, poor drainage, poor soil conditions). Or the tree may have been planted too deep (a close-up photo of where the trunk reaches the ground would help to rule this out).
Could you describe in detail how the tree was planted? Was it bare root, B&B, or container grown? Did you fertilize it, irrigate it, etc.? Have any pesticides, including weed and feed lawn fertilizers been applied near it?
Answers to these questions may help shed light on what is happening with your tree. Unfortunately, a white pine in this condition is not likely to recover. Either way, it will be good to figure out what went wrong to hopefully prevent it from recurring in the future.
