It's an Austrian Pine, not a Scots Pine (needles too long and dark green for that).

Hard to determine the cause from the photos, it may need an on-site inspection by an ISA-certified arboricultural consultant.

I've made the link clickable below.

Resin

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z244/pretzel_logic60/Trees/

Thanks Resin, I wasn't sure how to post a link. I don't like the looks of the tree at all and I am going to bring a tree expert in. It's has wounds all the way up the tree and some just as bad as in the picture. I did see a woodpecker in one of the other trees last week. But this looks more serious than a bird problem.

Only the one tree out of the three is doing this and I was thinking about taking the middle one down. But with the end tree having this problem it's created a big dilemma.

I'll continue to post my findings as well.

Brian

if the expert opinion is free ... go for it..

otherwise i would just invest in removal .. or even better if you can do it yourself.. since its pretty wide open out there ... though the problem with that is that taking it down is 1/4 the job.. getting rid of the refuse becomes problematic ...

IMHO ... for what that is worth .. they are horribly mis-shapen ugly good for nothing pines ... and beware if i tell you how i really feel ... dont get me wrong.. i have a LOT of pines.. and they can be incredible.. i just dont see how those will be much of anything ...

i wouldnt invest a dime in trying to find out what the problem is.. or why they have multiple leaders .. or anything else ...

get 3 to 5 quotes on removal... and be sure to opt for someone who has valid insurance .... IMHO ... removal does not require an arborist ...

once removed ... we can recommend a couple thousand much better plants for your future conifer garden ... lol

good luck

ken

PS: the reason i say all three ....if the team is there to remove one... the cost is not much more for all 3 ... ask for quotes regarding both options ...

Actually I had thought about keeping the middle tree but have been mulling over removing all three. The problem is the neighbor behind me has no trees to speak of and I definitely want some type of neighbor screen, same goes for the other side.

{{gwi:336492}}

I had thought about taking one of those trees down also but the one I'd want is the tree that's leaning, and I don't want it for that reason but because the other is crowding a bald cypress that's trying to grow on the corner of my lot.

My original intention was to get rid of all of them, but I just don't think it's a good idea. The 3 I can take down myself, and I can use it for firewood. The others I'm not sure.

Brian

outdoor fire wood... pine is not recommended for indoor flues ...

pines can grow 3 to 5 feet per year .. once they get going ... you would be better off getting rid of the scrub.. and planting some new 2 to 3 footers.. which will be over 6 in two or three years .. given good after care... and hopefully a pine better suited to the space ... IMHO

or even better.. some better conifers ...

pines.. when it comes down to it.. are telephone poles down the road 10 or 20 years ... you have many other options in life for the long run ... 3 ft per year by 10 years =30 .. to 50 feet tall ... IN TEN YEARS ..... what yard .. lol ..

ken

Yes I know about pine for use as firewood. It can be used indoors in a HOT stove but definitely not for a slow burning indoor fire. That's a different project altogether, getting a stove insert for my fireplace.

What would the recommendations be for where the 3 "scrubs" are now? One thing I don't like and my neighbor hates are all the cones these trees drop. I don't mind myself, I scoop up what I find before I mow, they are tough on blades.

I'd like to put in some type of ornamental several feet in from the location of the scrubs now. I definitely need a neighbor screen but want it to look good with some openings. They are nice people, a little finicky about there lawn but nice enough, an older couple. I do have a large Pin Oak near the house that creates afternoon shade but don't remember how far the shade extends, most of the back area is full sun.

As far as the 2 trees in the other picture I just don't like the one that grew at an angle. But the other as I said is hiding a smaller bald cypress. I definitely need a neighbor screen on that side as well, kids, pool, and they can see right to my deck from theirs. I will do a trellis right off my patio for the deck to deck screen but other than that I'm not sure.

{{gwi:336493}}

{{gwi:336494}}

Certainly leaning pines are suboptimal but from here they don't need to go, today there is no high value ffixed target underneath and it likely won't spontaneously go just like that without warning.

Absolutely the one with the canker can come out and cure somewhere away from the other two, then provide good heat in the future. They are slowing wind speeds and making the microclimate a little more favorable, and are making some screen as well. Keep them, IMHO.

Dan