Seen any evergreens croak from borers this year??

17 years ago

Anything out of the ordinary this year with borers in evergreens?

Just removed a dead Port Orford cedar for someone yesterday, and thought it was probably Phytophthora. As soon as I cut some limbs away, it was evident that borers infested it.

Last spring, I planted 2 Hinoki Cypress at one small project in a west Portland suburb. Two weeks later, I noticed one turning gold. Looked inside the canopy and could see the fine dust and holes above many of the limbs. Won't say which nursery I bought them from, but when I went back, there were upwards of 2 dozen Hinoki's in a few rows with the same problem. They went ahead and gave me a replacement no-charge.

Anyhow, I haven't seen any borer damage on evergreens in the past few years, but lately, twice in just a few months.

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Comments (4)

Embothrium
17 years ago
I think the C. lawsoniana could have had root problems first which then attracted the borers.

A root rot expert contacted to assess some failed C. lawsoniana in a local public planting determined that an agent other than Phytophthora lateralis was involved - in that particular instance.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years ago
Haven't seen any signs of borers but recently experienced my first encounter with laminated root rot, a new-to-me conifer disease (assume it to be not very common in an urban environment). And sapsuckers seem to be overly interested in birches this season for some reason - more damage from this source this spring than I have ever previously witnessed.
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jean001
17 years ago
Laminated root rot is very common among Doug firs.

Often urban environments are carved from forested sites.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years ago
It depends on how urban we're talking :-) In 30 years of gardening/consulting in the greater Seattle area, I'd never encountered it. Within 4 months of relocating to Bainbridge/Kitsap area, I've seen it twice!

I am also rapidly becoming much more familiar with deer and their dining habits. OMG, there's a lot of them around!! They are like squirrels in Seattle - everywhere!