A sequoia is something very special and often the pride of its owner. If symptoms of illness suddenly appear, the concern is great. The wrong care is often to blame. In this article you will find out how to avoid mistakes, recognize diseases and what to do to combat them or, even better, prevent them.
Shoot dieback also occurs in sequoias
Dying shoots of the sequoia - the most common disease of Sequoia
The sequoia has an extremely robust bark that even protects it from forest fires. However, the giant is not resistant to Botryosphaeria dothidea, a sac fungus that causes shoot dieback. The insidious thing about the pest is that it only appears after months. However, you can recognize signs of the disease much earlier.
symptoms
The dieback caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea manifests itself as follows:
- the needles turn brown at the tips
- complete death of the affected branches
- these fall off, visible holes appear in the crown
- strong resin formation
- bark necrosis on the trunk
Note: do not confuse the browning of the needles with the seasonal shedding of the leaves. Discoloration is only a clear sign of disease in the evergreen coast redwood.
causes
Strong heat and little water make the sequoia susceptible to pests. Insufficient watering or the wrong choice of location are common care mistakes. Waterlogging, on the other hand, leads to root rot.
combat
If you notice the above symptoms on your sequoia, you should act quickly before the fungus penetrates inside. In this case, removing shoots that are already brown will help.
Prevent
Botryosphaeria dothidea enters the trunk of the sequoia through wounds in the bark. If you notice injuries, you should seal them with foil. Be sure to keep the soil moist at all times. Especially in summer it is necessary to water the Sequoia several times a day. A drainage helps against waterlogging.