Pine trees are among the common variety of evergreens in the United States. They are found throughout much of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s hardiness zones 3-11, characterized by the presence of pine needles and pine cones.
Like most trees, however, pines are susceptible to disease, pests and stress, which can kill an otherwise healthy specimen. When this occurs, it can threaten nearby homes and structures, placing the lives of residents at risk for serious injury.
So, how do you know if a pine tree on your property is dying?
Bark Peeling
One tell-tale sign of a sick pine tree is bark peeling away. A healthy pine tree should retain its bark – or at least most of its bark – throughout all four seasons of the year.
When a pine tree becomes sick, however, it may shed its bark. Granted, it’s not uncommon for animals like woodpeckers to damage a pine tree’s bark.
As long as the damage is minor, this shouldn’t cause any reason for concern. But large sections of missing bark from a pine tree is a sign of a sick and dying tree.
Brown Needles
Pine trees should maintain their distinct green color throughout the year. If you discover the needles have turned brown or yellow, it could indicate the presence of disease.
Dothistroma, for instance, has a tendency to turn pine tree needles brown. If a pine tree is suffering from wilt, on the other hand, its needles may be grayish-green.
Early Needle Drop
Normally, pine trees will shed their needles in the late summer to early fall. The first needles to drop are the ones on the tips of branches, while the last ones to drop are the needles located deeper inside towards the base of the tree.
Disease, stress and other problems, however, may cause a pine tree to shed its needles earlier in the year. If you have several pine trees in your yard but only one of them has shed its needles, it could indicate the presence of disease or illness.
So, what should you do if you have one or more sick pine trees on your property? If the tree poses a danger to your home, you should have it removed immediately.
Leaving a dead tree on your property is just asking for trouble. Statistics show that nearly 100 people are killed by falling trees in the United States each year. Contact a professional tree removal company ASAP to keep your home and family safe.
The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.
If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or
Great post! I’ve been looking for a list of signs for this and this one hit it right on the money. I’ll also browsed through a couple of other posts. Keep up the great work!
I agree with Jack, all these signs are right on point. Thank for sharing!
What happens when you have a yellow pine cone.can it make circle brown spot on the lawn.that is what’s happeming
I had a tree removal company come out today about 2 trees I wanted removed. It’s 5 acres and the middle section is dotted with pine trees some of which are 60+ feet high. He said that most of them are diseased and it will spread to all of the other trees so all 35 trees need to go and other trees planted in their place. Does that sound right? And are all pines doomed now if you live in the western part of the states?
Hi Sandy – Many of the insect and disease conditions listed below can weaken the pine tree and lead to tree death if not treated. If you suspect a problem with your trees, call a certified arborist or county extension agent right away for an evaluation and treatment options.
Getting two opinions along with accurate information concerning your climate and the trees in question will go a long way to helping you make the best decision…than trust the professionals you hire.
Common Pine Tree Problems
Common Insects Affecting Pine Trees:
Weevil
Bark beetles
Adelgid
Sawfly larvae caterpillars
Pine needle miners
Pine needle scales
Pine Tree Diseases:
Canker diseases
Needle cast
White Pine blister rust
Root rot
Symptoms of Pine Tree Diseases & Pests:
Cottony growth on bark
White resin
Needle discoloration
Defoliation
Holes in trunk
I have several pine trees in my backyard. Thanks for the advice about how if you see bark peeling it is a sign that your tree is becoming sick. I’ll have to make sure to inspect my pines carefully and call a tree service to help me take better care.
I love pine trees which are why my husband had them planted in our yard. It’s nice to be aware of these indicators that let you know if your tree is sick. I’d hate to deal with possible damages that come from not knowing when you should have it removed.
Excellent article regarding over your sick trees! I am an arborist and definitely agree with all the key aspects of this article and key points. From the bark, defoliations, and other browning out that is concluded with sick tree identification. From personal experience, this article is totally true and I can relate definitively. I had a few trees I had to diagnose and identify and showed the client this article and they saw how important it is to keep up to date with your pine trees if not just keeping the moderation. This article helped me tremendously and resulted into greatness I will be following you guys blog feed and seeing your key concepts and beliefs and structural advice on pine trees and just arbor care in general.
If u have small holes around base of a large pine tree what is the most likely cause?
Hi Marie. We would need to see what you are talking about in order to provide an answer to that question. If you are in our service area (Williamson County Texas) please give us a call and we’ll come out and take a look and provide you with an assessment.
Great article! All of these signs are exactly what happens with sick pine trees, thank you for sharing this.
Wow! great article written and I agree with Henry. The best solution after noticing your pine tree being sick should be calling your nearest arborist to take a look at your sick pine tree and to diagnose to know exactly what kind of disease the tree would have.
Recently, an “arborist” with a tree removal company, came out to assess our property and told me that the “majority” of our hemlocks and cedars are dying because they are making lots of pine cones. That it’s an indicator they are trying to shed enough seed to try and repopulate.
Any truth to that? Because if that is the case, I’ve got 4 acres of lumber, and nothing beautiful to look at anymore.
Hi Carol,
I received the following response to your question from our own on-staff Arborist, Roy Duran.
In my own experiences in Texas I have not heard that theory. That does not mean in other parts of the US that theory does not exist with evidence & documentation to assist. So, seek a second opinion and research deeper if you are concerned. ~Roy
Ours stands in water when we have a lot of rain I mean it goes away but the one next to it died this Spring already. Isn’t there Tree spikes to fertilize it to see if I can save it FIRST? It was planted 15 yrs ago when we planted the rest but by far much smaller due to the rain trough it is in when it pours down!
My old Jack Pine is about 50 feet tall is losing large patches of bark and has attracted woodpeckers. How long can I safely wait to have it cut down?
Hi Charlotte – it would be best to have a professional tree care company come out and take a look at your tree as soon as possible. If you are in our service area, Williamson County and Northern Travis County in Texas, give us a call at 512-940-0799 and we’ll come out and give you an estimate of what it will take to save your tree or remove it for you.
Good to see this article and believe it or not but in the desert areas around Phoenix we have a few pines that can handle the heat here. This article is spot on, no pun intended. Given the heat here, when a tree becomes distressed or diseased it is really important to help it ASAP since it has to deal with the severe heat also for 4 months of the year.
Great article! I’ve dealt with many pine trees and my clients always wonder what they’re tree would look like or react when sick. I always referenced this article, it’s informative, quick and just all around great! Thank you!
Should you remove pine cones? My one tree has an abuntant of cones.
my pine tree got hit by lighting about 2 months ago the top of the tree now has alot of brown needles not sure if the tree is dying
Hi Susan. If you are in our service area, which is Southern Williamson County and Northern Travis County in Central Texas please give us a call and we will be glad to come out and take a look.
I have several pine trees in my yard and the needles are turning brown from the bottom up and some are turning white. Can you tell me what could be going wrong with them? Thank you.
Hi Tamzie,
Thanks for reading. If you are in our service area, Williamson County, Texas, give us a call and we’ll be glad to come out and take a look at your pine trees and tell you what’s going on. If you are not in our area you should contact a tree service where you live.
Mine has been topped close to house wanted it cut in half so roots don’t go out so much but stays better if trimmed. Had ten years ago pounds of termites falling from the tree after the rain a few years ago put termite spikes. Any idea I live at the bottom of a mountain where beetles have been found.
Have fruit pomegranate trees on the other side of the fence. (save me) I can’t get a straight answer.
Hi Judith. I would recommend contacting your county extension agent or a Certified Horticulturalist and have someone locally take a look.
I have a pine tree that has a small dead spot near the top of the tree. It is about 2’X2′ in diameter. Is there something I need to do to stop the rest of the tree from dying? Can I cut out the infected portion? Will that help stop the spread?
Hi Michael. I would not suggest cutting out the affected portion without having a tree professional take a look. If you’re in our service area please give us a call and we’ll be glad to come out and take a look.
I live in Southern California and would like to know if you have any one in my area that can check my pine trees. They are 40 years old and I’ve noticed one of them has several branches that have pine needles that have turned brown. Could you recommend someone in my area ( San Bernardino)?
Thank you
Hi Deb. We don’t have any affiliates in your area but you can search for ISA Certified Arborists in your area here.
I have a huge pine tree right in front of my house and we love this tree! For the past few weeks it’s been dropping green pine cones and some of the pine cones have lost some if not all of their scales. I’m worried! My house is 170 yrs old and the pine tree is not much younger. It’s also losing sap and most of the green pine cones have sap on them. Our other pines have not been affected so far. HELP!
Hi Ann. Thanks for reading. If you are in our service area, Williamson County, Texas, give us a call and we’ll be glad to come out and take a look. If you are not in our service area I would recommend you contact a local tree care company to come out and take a look.
I have a 50+ foot large pine cone evergreen tree that has had 100’s of pine cones every year for years. The tree is about 35 -38 years old. This year no new pine cones! The tree looks healthy, good bark, no green needle loss, new growth last spring. What is causing the “no pine cone ” this fall. I live in southern Wisconsin.
Hi Harlan, thanks for reading. I spoke with our in-house arborist and he thinks that you should reach out to your local county extension agent and run it by them. The climate down here in Texas is so much different than in Wisconsin and there may be something going on locally that we are unaware of.
I have the same condition in Wisconsin. My spruce trees which are 40 years old suddenly quit producing cones. It;s nice not having the mess, but wonder if there’s an underlying problem??
Hello Guy. I would recommend you contact a local tree care company to help answer that question. They will have more information on the trees in your area and any diseases that may cause the tree to stop producing cones.
Pine trees can be such a burden to deal with, especially when the needles land on your roof and cause rot problems. Great info as always.
We have many tall pine trees on our property in the Soutwestern Texas area. Most of the lower branches appear to be dead or falling off and/or are too high up for us to prune. Some of the trees appear to lean, but otherwise seem strong and healthy. The bark doesn’t appear to have any issues that we can tell. We have 2 acres of many pine trees and really don’t want to have to cut them down as a prevention of them falling on our house and it would cost a fortune to have an Arborist come check them as we have many pine trees on our property. Should we ve concerned about these lower branches as an indication of a sick or dying tree? I’ve looked everywhere for an answer for this and haven’t really had much luck finding an answer. Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide on this question.
Great post! It’s really important to know how to check if your tree is healthy or not. If the tree is not healthy and you don’t know how to heal it, just call a tree service company for assistance!