Are my pines sick?

[Ozz80]

I have a JRP (dwarf variety) and an Austrian pine, which I suspect to have fungal diseases. There are white substances on the JRP, otherwise the tree is doing well, responding with new buds everywhere to this year's heavy pruning. Meanwhile P. Nigra has also the same white substance, in addition to that there are browning needles, tips getting black. Do they have diseases and what can I do if they have?

Pictures of the P. Nigra




Pictures of the JRP

 

[The Barber]

The color looks healthy, some signs of needle cast in there, but not a lot. Be sure to remove those needles. The brown tips just look like broken/damaged needles that have died back a tad.

 

[Ozz80]

The color looks healthy, some signs of needle cast in there, but not a lot. Be sure to remove those needles. The brown tips just look like broken/damaged needles that have died back a tad.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[NMbonsai]

Thanks for your reply.

The first three pictures are some of my JBP, from a tree in development to a seedling. The last picture is of a Coulter pine i picked up at a local nursery about a week ago. All have the white material concentrated around the fasicles at the base of the needles. I thought that this was a normal occurrence associated with needle development, but I don't really know. I am hoping that some of the members more experienced with growing pines than I will weigh in on this one (Leo? Shibui? Leatherback? Adair? Others?).

 

[Ozz80]

I removed all dead or apparently diseased needles, but there are also several needles which have slight browning starting from the tips. Do I have to remove them as well?

 

[NMbonsai]

Again, you need to hear from some of the experts, but I think a few brown tips at the apex and a few of the larger branches is more indicative of a single stress event, like underwatering on a hot day, than a longer term problem like chronic over/underwatering or a disease or pests. A healthy tree can drop a few needles and recover, but if the brown tips are seen on most of the tree, they are probably a symptom of a more serious situation.

 

[clem]

there are also several needles which have slight browning starting from the tips. Do I have to remove them as well?

On the last pic, we can see old needle (2 years old I guess). The tree may get rid of it this fall. What's important is that this year's needles stay green. The yellowing/browning of the old needles isn't a problem if the new ones stay green and healthy, in my opinion.

For me, overall (general view of the tree) your tree is healthy.

 

[Ozz80]

Again, you need to hear from some of the experts, but I think a few brown tips at the apex and a few of the larger branches is more indicative of a single stress event, like underwatering on a hot day, than a longer term problem like chronic over/underwatering or a disease or pests. A healthy tree can drop a few needles and recover, but if the brown tips are seen on most of the tree, they are probably a symptom of a more serious situation.

On the last pic, we can see old needle (2 years old I guess). The tree may get rid of it this fall. What's important is that this year's needles stay green. The yellowing/browning of the old needles isn't a problem if the new ones stay green and healthy, in my opinion.

For me, overall (general view of the tree) your tree is healthy.

Thanks all for the help, much appreciated.