Hello Katherine,

Based on what I saw in your images:

FYI: I had a hard time identifying the Spruce – in each image, the spruce did not stand alone. It was too blended with other plants. My app said it was a white spruce.

Lower-limb dieback on young spruce in Michigan is so common that it even has its name— “spruce decline.” It often starts on shaded, lower branches and works its way up over 2–4 years, giving the tree an unhealthy “shell” of green needles on the outside and bare, brown inner branches.

Causes • Needlecasts (Rhizosphaera, Stigmina/Mycosphaerella): Fungal spores infect current‐year shoots; needles typically die the following season, leaving dead inner needles and a green outer shell. • Tip blight (Phomopsis and related fungi): Kills new shoot tips, but it’s less common on spruce than on pines. • Canker diseases (Diaporthe spp., Cytospora/Leucostoma kunzei): These fungi form sunken or resin-soaked lesions on branches or the trunk. As the fungus girdles tissue, water and nutrients can’t move past the canker, so branches die back (“flagging”)—often starting low on the tree.

Why Michigan spruce fares worse than Colorado blue spruce evolved in the Rocky Mountains’ dry climate. In Michigan’s humidity—especially when trees are planted close together—needles stay wet longer, wind can’t dry the canopy, and fungal diseases thrive.

When lower‐branch dieback is “normal” vs. a problem • Normal self-pruning: A few shaded inner limbs die off if the canopy is dense, but the rest of the tree stays vigorous. • Spruce decline: You’ll see progressive browning of many lower branches over consecutive years, sometimes with visible cankers or resin exudation. If unaddressed, the tree’s form and health deteriorate.

What you can do

1. Improve airflow: Space trees at least 8–10 ft apart (12 ft for larger cultivars). Prune to open the canopy and remove diseased limbs—cut 6–8 inches below any visible lesion and disinfect tools between cuts.
2. Sanitation: Rake up and destroy fallen needles and prunings—residual needles harbor spores.
3. Fungicide sprays: For heavy infections, a chlorothalonil or copper-based spray applied in late spring, followed by every 3–4 weeks through summer, can help curb needlecasts and tip blights (annual repeat applications are often needed).
4. Species choice: If decline recurs, switch to more disease-resistant spruces (white, Black Hills, or Norway spruce

Spruce Tree Problems | ILRiverHort | Illinois Extension | UIUC

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What is spruce decline, and what should you do about it? - Christmas Trees

Consider sending your images to the MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics for precise diagnosis and confirmation.

Their email is <personal data hidden> - Please include your first and last name.

The experts there can also provide you with the best treatment options.

The lab will notify you if they require a sample to be sent.

The lab may also ask for additional images. So be prepared.

Their website is at this link:

Plant & Pest Diagnostics (msu.edu)

Their Contact Information is at this link:

Contact Us - Plant & Pest Diagnostics (msu.edu)

This link will explain the details on submitting a sample to the MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics Lab:

Submit Samples - Plant & Pest Diagnostics (msu.edu)