Help! Dying Araucaria / Hoop Pine Bonsai?

JJSmythe

Seed
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
Hello everyone, this is my first time positing here but I really hope you can help shed some light on why my beloved Araucaria is so unhappy at the spots where we pruned it back a few months ago.

For context, I have had the tree for 3 years now and I assume it to be around 5-6 years old. When we purchased it, it was quite scraggly and so we left it to grow and fill out without much interference from us however, we then took the plunge of repotting it, pruning it back, and wiring it for the first time (approximately 1 month between repotting and pruning).

The tree seemed to respond perfectly well to the pruning at first (new growth) but now, 7 months later, the branches around the biggest cut we made (at the top of the tree) are all drying up and starting to fall off and I am very worried we have caused serious damage by making such a large cut and that this is the start of the tree dying. Additionally, we wanted to try and redirect one of the branches by wiring it and many of the needles around this area are now beginning to dry out and fall off as well - does this typically happen when you wire a branch, or is it something to be worried about?

I am attaching photos from before and now - with close ups of the spots where I pruned and the needles are now going brown/black.

Thank you for any help or insight in advance.

John
 

Attachments

  • F8B9946F-4F84-4B68-9524-FCC309C7E837.jpeg
    F8B9946F-4F84-4B68-9524-FCC309C7E837.jpeg
    167.8 KB · Views: 17
  • 4553ADA4-D1CD-4ED4-9D90-83A976D9D3AC.jpeg
    4553ADA4-D1CD-4ED4-9D90-83A976D9D3AC.jpeg
    190.7 KB · Views: 17
  • 2E099822-85FD-4956-BB9E-46FC61A18162.jpeg
    2E099822-85FD-4956-BB9E-46FC61A18162.jpeg
    163.3 KB · Views: 17
  • 8DFDE189-0A80-425D-9FEB-BD19B0DD992A.jpeg
    8DFDE189-0A80-425D-9FEB-BD19B0DD992A.jpeg
    188.6 KB · Views: 16
  • D4EC0214-72E0-40E6-B2CF-4F63FC2933AC.jpeg
    D4EC0214-72E0-40E6-B2CF-4F63FC2933AC.jpeg
    190 KB · Views: 15
  • 22852CCC-51E8-4FEB-98E1-7005844DA9B2.jpeg
    22852CCC-51E8-4FEB-98E1-7005844DA9B2.jpeg
    198.4 KB · Views: 14
  • FD35D604-8E8E-4C10-A864-A2A6096129F2.jpeg
    FD35D604-8E8E-4C10-A864-A2A6096129F2.jpeg
    193.8 KB · Views: 10
  • 9F138423-1B61-42D4-A01A-100B7D607D40.jpeg
    9F138423-1B61-42D4-A01A-100B7D607D40.jpeg
    210.7 KB · Views: 12
  • 947A22C4-0E1B-4842-AA01-816E65B29531.jpeg
    947A22C4-0E1B-4842-AA01-816E65B29531.jpeg
    176.4 KB · Views: 12
  • 5ABF8A37-E69F-44F1-8C6E-E6DD1B9DA7A5.jpeg
    5ABF8A37-E69F-44F1-8C6E-E6DD1B9DA7A5.jpeg
    278.9 KB · Views: 16

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Interesting unusual tree here/for Bonsai. Several questions: your location? please add to profile.
Is tree indoors or outside?
Potting medium?
Does pot drain well?
Soil always kept from complete dryness? Never wet except for watering day?
Subspecies name of tree?
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,545
Reaction score
15,224
Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
Auricaria cunninghamii - hoop pine.
I have seen a few examples as bonsai but not usually used due to the growth habit of long thin branchlets.

There could be a few reasons for the symptoms you are experiencing.
Pruning or wiring alone should not cause that but occasionally damage associated with the work may damage some growth.
Wiring around needles without damaging some is difficult. Needles that were squashed or bent too much can die. Sometimes a whole section of branch can die after being bent but that's much more common when bending is done while the tree is actively growing as bark separates from the wood easily during active growth.
Some species experience die back similar to what you are showing around the pruning cut. It seems that smaller branches are not drawing enough sap to maintain growth after the strong upper parts are removed so the sap diverts to a stronger branch below. This sort of die back does not usually kill a tree so fingers crossed it stops at a lower branch and you can just cut off the dead section later.

Dead inner needles can be from several things.
1. old age - individual needles have a finite life span. In some species they last 1 or 2 years in others 3-5 years but eventually all inner needles will die of old age. When I see inner needles dying this is usually the most likely cause.
2. physical damage - It sounds like you are just starting with bonsai so it is possible the needles were damaged during either pruning or wiring and have died as a result. Physical damage should only affect the needles that were broken/bent so not a big deal.
3. root problems - can also cause death of needles. Could be fungal infection of roots from being too wet. Could be lack of new root growth due to wrong time of year root prune (see request for location above). Could be just a temporary reaction while the roots recover and grow again.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
At first I thought infected cutting tools, but I don't even believe in that.

Welcome to Crazy!

The new Lil shoots make it seem pretty normal.

Sorce
 

HorseloverFat

Squarepants with Conkers
Messages
11,356
Reaction score
16,220
Location
Northeast Wisconsin
USDA Zone
5a
I agree with portions of everything said here.

Neat species!

Looks to me, and others, as a normal response to physical damage.

My Cousin, from the Eugene area wanted to send me some seedlings of that Monkey Puzzle pine that Hinmo was talking about...

I’m trying to lessen my “unnatural habitat“ load.

...he says as he waters his carambola seedlings! 🤦🏽‍♂️

🤪🤣🤓
 

HorseloverFat

Squarepants with Conkers
Messages
11,356
Reaction score
16,220
Location
Northeast Wisconsin
USDA Zone
5a
I noticed you said/typed “we pruned”.. or “we” about the work and whatnot.

This is normally a deflection for guilt, ORR an indication that the pruning/work wasn’t entirely your idea..

;) ;)

Either way, it’s ok, buddy. No anxiety needs to happen.
 
Top Bottom