The evergreen, luminous needles are a feature of the sequoia and make it a handsome plant in parks or in your own garden. But what if the needle dress suddenly turns brown? Here you can find out what could be behind it and how you can prevent the brown discoloration.

In autumn, the leaves of the sequoia always turn brown

Natural brown coloring

If your sequoia is reddish-brown in fall, don't worry. Sequoiadendron giganteum is a deciduous plant. Before its needles fall to the ground, the green naturally turns to brown. However, you should be careful if your plant is a coast redwood. This species is evergreen. Browning of the shoots is a clear sign of the disease in this case.

Possible causes

Possible causes of shoot browning include:

  • wrong watering
  • dryness
  • pest infestation

Incorrect watering

Although you should keep the soil of the sequoia moist all the time, if the water cannot drain away, your tree will suffer major damage due to the waterlogging. This causes root rot.

dryness

The sequoia has a large water requirement. In extreme heat, its trunk dries up. This makes it susceptible to fungi and pests.

pest infestation

Botryosphaeria dieback is a common weakness parasite and poses a major threat to your sequoia. Dry summers and insufficient watering promote infestation. You only realize the actual trigger months later. However, brown shoots in the crown are a first sign. Later, visible holes form in the needles of the crown, and an unusually large amount of resin escapes from the affected shoots. After a while, the brown coloring of the needles also spreads to the bark of the branches. The parasite uses wounds in the bark to get inside the tree.

Prevent

The following measures will help to prevent the above-mentioned triggers for brown discolouration:

  • For example, use a drainage system to ensure that the irrigation water can drain out of the pot
  • choose a location where your sequoia is not exposed to the blazing sun
  • water your sequoia daily. Repeated watering is necessary in summer
  • Pay attention to the first signs and remove conspicuous shoots immediately

Category:

Trees