Pine Browning Normal This Time of Year

First posted on 11-16-2009

Browning of needles in evergreens such as pines and arborvitae is normal for this time of year as they lose older growth, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

“Some of our most common landscape plants, such as pines and arborvitae drop a certain set of needles all at the same time giving the impression that the plant is sick,” said Jim Robbins, extension horticulture specialist-ornamentals, for the U of A Division of Agriculture. “This significant needle drop is normal.”

Location of the browned needles is a key diagnostic clue.

“You can tell the difference by evaluating which needles are dropping,” he said. “If you look towards the interior of the plant and you see lots of yellow needles all about the same age or same position, then what you are seeing is normal needle drop.

“If the needles were turning yellow and dropping in patches toward the outside of the plant you more likely have a disease or insect problem,” Robbins said.

Tamara Walkingstick, associate center director for the Arkansas Forest Resources Center of the U of A Division of Agriculture, said that now is the time to capitalize on pine leaf drop.

“In fact, right now is the best time to start harvesting pine straw for your garden,” she said.

Other landscape evergreens such as magnolia also have seasonal leaf drop, Robbins said, “but in this case the significant drop occurs in April.”