brown pine needles - Ask Extension
I live 2 blocks from the ocean. The needles are turning brown on some of my pine trees ( not a spruce ), not all. Why?
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brown pine needles #924347
Asked February 08, 2026, 6:04 PM EST
I live 2 blocks from the ocean. The needles are turning brown on some of my pine trees ( not a spruce ), not all. Why?
Lincoln County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for your question.
You probably have shore pines which are native to our shoreline area. Needle browning could be caused by pests, diseases, or abiotic (nonbiological) factors such as salt spray and shade for example.
Here is an Oregon State Extension publication that may provide some answers for you - "Common Insect Pests and Diseases of Shore Pine on the Oregon Coast" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/em9008.pdf. You can compare symptoms described here with what you are seeing on your trees.
You probably have shore pines which are native to our shoreline area. Needle browning could be caused by pests, diseases, or abiotic (nonbiological) factors such as salt spray and shade for example.
Here is an Oregon State Extension publication that may provide some answers for you - "Common Insect Pests and Diseases of Shore Pine on the Oregon Coast" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/em9008.pdf. You can compare symptoms described here with what you are seeing on your trees.
