Japanese white pine needles browning and dropping

[csmileyk]

Hello all,

In one of my Japanese white pines, many of the needles even those that are green are dropping at the slightest touch, and then there are needles in some branches that are all browning but not dropping as easily. Unsure if they are two different issues.
I am located in San Francisco East Bay Area, Livermore, and we had some really hot days this summer, and I had kept this tree in shade, misted it often. Unsure if it inadvertently got over watered.
It was a beautiful tree, but now is suffering.
Please help saving it.

Thanks
SmileyK

 

[gittinsjohn]

Japanese white pine do not like being over watered

 

[NewtotheArt]

Hello all,

In one of my Japanese white pines, many of the needles even those that are green are dropping at the slightest touch, and then there are needles in some branches that are all browning but not dropping as easily. Unsure if they are two different issues.
I am located in San Francisco East Bay Area, Livermore, and we had some really hot days this summer, and I had kept this tree in shade, misted it often. Unsure if it inadvertently got over watered.
It was a beautiful tree, but now is suffering.
Please help saving it.

Thanks
SmileyK

I’m also located in Livermore. The heat wave this year has been unbelievable at times, especially our area in the valley. I keep my White Pine in the shade outside and it only gets the morning sun with the rest of the day in shade. I haven’t had any issues the last couple months of browning needles but I think this scorching hot sun might have a big part of it. I’m still fairly new to JWP bonsai myself but I’ve been sheltering mine from the sun like crazy the past couple months.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It is the season of shedding of course, now that it's fall. Older foliage can drop naturally.

But green needles dropping off is a worrying sign. They shouldn't, unless the roots are dead. At least.. I have only seen pines drop green needles if the roots were cooked, or completely cut off or dried out.

I'm no JWP expert, maybe someone else can tell you what's going on.

 

[sorce]

Underwatered 100% and what's it doing in the shade?

Don't mist.

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

Remember, Japan is skinny, and has sea on all windward sides so that it is often cloudy on the leeward sides of elevations, never sees 100°F, has wet summers and moderate, dry winters. There are no bone dry places in Japan. Geography is weather.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Hello all,

In one of my Japanese white pines, many of the needles even those that are green are dropping at the slightest touch, and then there are needles in some branches that are all browning but not dropping as easily. Unsure if they are two different issues.
I am located in San Francisco East Bay Area, Livermore, and we had some really hot days this summer, and I had kept this tree in shade, misted it often. Unsure if it inadvertently got over watered.
It was a beautiful tree, but now is suffering.
Please help saving it.

Thanks
SmileyK

When I see green pine needles dropping when I touch a tree I immediately think of sawfly worms. Look at the needles, if they are dropping with the sheath attached then it likely isn't sawfly, if they are dropping leaving a little stub on the branches then you have sawfly working on your trees. If sawflys a good insecticide will take care of them.

 

[JudyB]

Underwatered 100% and what's it doing in the shade?

Don't mist.

Sorce

If you don’t understand why it in the shade in the extreme heat and low humidity then you don’t understand this species. Misting can help in some conditions, but you might not understand that either.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I've equated white pine with scots pine and my scots is dead and gone in this year's heat wave.

 

[Forsoothe!]

We all grow stuff that doesn't belong in our local areas. And we all have the same poorer results. Go buy a Artemisia tridentata Mountain Big Sagebrush.

 

[vancehanna]

Im in Merced and My P.Parviflora JWP is finishing it's normal seasonal needle drop. It looks like yours is fine. Just watch the OVER/UNDER water program. How long have you had this tree? It appears from the photos that the buds are viable. Some green needle drop with the normal old needles is ok too.
Mine is just fine. and we're even hotter than you over here...Hah!
I will say though my Larix is a bit stressed and it went nearly brown last month. Only good news is that buds look normal.