Black Specks on a JBP

[symbiotic1]

I noticed these black specks mostly on the needles but also on the bark of a black pine I recently bought. Nothing seems to be crawling on the tree and I can't just pick the spots off whole by scraping the needle so that makes me think it's not a critter. The main effect it seems to be having is the tips of the needles going brown. In trying to look this up it seems like it could be fungal but not having seen it before I thought I'd ask the more trained eyes here. Any idea what it could be and how to treat it?

 

[Paradox]

It doesnt look like scale. Fungal would be my guess too.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

The little black dots i don't know. There are some bigger spots looking like needle cast.

 

[LanceMac10]

Get some copper in there, brah!! Fungi.....fungus among us.....

 

[symbiotic1]

So we are thinking copper fungicide would take care of it? I wasn't sure if it was needlcast as from the photos I saw of needle cast is it looked like the spots went the whole width of the needle and caused everything above it to die off and there are some spots on the bark too. I'll spray it down and see what happens. Will it need shade after treatment?

 

[LanceMac10]

Sure, shade is good, maybe a little morning sun. Good airflow will help too. Teaspoon per gallon should do ya'.....don't go crazy. Update in a week or two.

 

[Paradox]

There are more fungi besides needle cast that can effect pines. Might be (probably) one of the other types.