Onebark is a diagnostic specialist of Leyland Cypress problems in Georgia
It is difficult to diagnose Leyland cypress problems since many symptoms can be quite similar across a wide range of pathology. Many people go from arborist to arborist without ever receiving a proper diagnosis.
Here are some things you can do so that we can help you:
- Keep a record of symptoms - keep track of your symptoms, when they began, and how they progressed. Take photos.
- Keep a record of treatments - document what treatments you have tried and who prescribed them. Even if you were simply given some advice, keep track of it.
- Keep a record of watering practices - if you have an irrigation system or you hand-water your trees, be aware of frequency and value of water so your Arborist diagnostician can evaluate the soil conditions properly.
Getting a proper diagnosis is easy.
Dive Deeper
Here is a list of common Leyland Cypress problems around Atlanta:
- Botryosphaeria canker
- Seiridium canker
- Cercospora
- Passalora blight
- Phytopthera cinnimoni
- Mite damage
- Bagworms
- Salt damage
Botryosphaeria and Seiridium are diseases that live out the damaging portion of their life cycle within the woody tissues of the plant. The tissues around the infected area will die and the twig, branch, or stem will turn a color other than green. Usually the needles will begin to yellow, then quickly become reddish brown or tan. Sometimes large portions of the tree are affected. Your diagnostic arborist can make further recommendations about the survivability of a Leyland infected with Seiridium or Botryosphaeria.
Cercospora is mentioned here because there is an enormous amount of older published information about the disease on Leyland, Junipers, and other needled evergreens. The disease is currently known as Passalora blight and should be referred to as such. See below. It is not clear as to whether Cercospora is actually a significant problem on Leyland cypress; at the least, it appears that it is not one that requires management.
Passlora needle blight typically infects the interior lower foliage first, and with time spreads outwards and upwards. Branches may remain green on the ends for several seasons before dying. The disease if usually accompanied by mass browning of interior foliage in the lower half of the canopy. The symptoms should not be confused with normal mid-season needle drop or drought stress. If gone untreated, the entire tree may succumb to the disease. This could take several seasons of progressive infection and dieback.
Phytopthera cinnimoni primarily affects smaller roots on plants. The disease is most commonly associated with planted Leyland cypress and poor soil drainage. Plants with this disease may exhibit a general yellowing of the foliage and the tips of branches may loose foliage. Phytopthera root rot is very difficult to treat efficiently. Most often correction involves the removal of affected plants, correction of soil hydrology, and replanting with new stock. High value trees can be treated if the problem is caught early and the drainage issues can be solved without damaging the tree.