My 40' spruce tree, which I believe is a Colorado, has a definite
pattern of a yellow spiral from top to bottom. It has been like this
all year and I was waiting for it to go away. It hasn't gotten any
better or worse. Should I worry? What can I do?

"Michigan Tom" wrote in message
om...
My 40' spruce tree, which I believe is a Colorado, has a definite
pattern of a yellow spiral from top to bottom. It has been like this
all year and I was waiting for it to go away. It hasn't gotten any
better or worse. Should I worry? What can I do?

Okay, is it a pine tree as in the header or a Colorado spruce? Can't be both
:-)) Yellowing of needles sounds like a form of needle cast, but there are
several different ones that affect either spruces or pines. Typically a
fungal infection and usually not serious on a mature tree. Stress can be a
big factor - extremes in weather conditions or excess/too little water. Look
at cultural conditions first, but if symptoms persist you may need to treat.
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/pla...es/pp789-3.htm

pam - gardengal

My 40' spruce tree, which I believe is a Colorado, has a definite
pattern of a yellow spiral from top to bottom.

Root damage on a spruce tree typically shows up in a spiral as the xylem and
phloem in this tree spirals the trunk.
Spruce have very shallow root systems that are easily damaged by foot traffic,
too much water, construction problems or a lack of room to expand. When one
section of the root system is damaged, you see the results in the part of the
tree that it supplied.
sed5555

(Sed5555) wrote in message ...
My 40' spruce tree, which I believe is a Colorado, has a definite
pattern of a yellow spiral from top to bottom.

Root damage on a spruce tree typically shows up in a spiral as the xylem and
phloem in this tree spirals the trunk.
Spruce have very shallow root systems that are easily damaged by foot traffic,
too much water, construction problems or a lack of room to expand. When one
section of the root system is damaged, you see the results in the part of the
tree that it supplied.
sed5555

Thanks so much for the info. I did have my septic tank cleaned out,
which is very near the tree. I'm sure some of the roots had to have
been disrupted. Sounds as if it should clear up on its own.
Michigan Tom

Root damage on a spruce tree typically shows up in a spiral as the xylem and
phloem in this tree spirals the trunk.

That is the craziest thing I have ever heard, and I have heard a lot of stuff.
Can you be more specific???

Toad

That is the craziest thing I have ever heard, and I have heard a lot of
stuff.
Can you be more specific???

In spruce, damage affecting roots (construction, salts, compaction, etc.) shows
in the branches being fed by those roots and may follow a spiral pattern up the
tree. This is because the water conducting system of these trees tends to twist
inside the trunk, and anything absorbed (or not absorbed in the case of
water/nutrients) by a root on one side of the tree is translocated in a spiral
pattern.
As far as I know, this applies only to spruce.
sed5555