We have a very long dividing hedge, we have been told it is cypress. Over the last year we have lost 5 trees. The hedge is about 20 years old. The trees stopped growing last spring, and have turned different shades of brown. The rest of the hedge seem to be alright. They are still growing. This is obvious from the growth at the top of the hedge. Can you tell me why these trees have died? And what i can do to protect the rest of the hedge. We haven't cut them down yet. We live in nanaimo thank-you for any help you can give us. Myrna roxburgh
Hedge trees dying The trees showen in pictures, don't look at all like my hedge. Could my hedge be cedar, of hemlock? Myrna roxburgh
Re: Hedge trees dying Lawson cypress is represented by numerous widely varying cultivars in gardens, did you notice this and look at some of the many different kinds or only one or two images of one or two kinds? Hemlock is a pine family conifer with little needles rather than the scales of cypresses and arborvitaes (Thujas). So far you are not presenting enough details for anyone to offer specific guidelines. I only mentioned the root rot in Lawson cypress because this is something that has been happening in the area for some time, and you thought your hedge might be cypresses. Otherwise a very common kind in more recent plantings is Leyland cypress. Unlike Lawson cypress this is not characteristically prone to root rot but as with pretty much all trees and shrubs it is possible for this to befall it under suitable circumstances. Various other pitfalls can cause dying out of hedge sections also, including insects and drought. If you can't show good pictures here maybe try clipping samples of live and dead foliages of your hedge and taking them to a good independent garden center (as opposed to a big box store plant department) in your area.
Can you post some photos? Close-ups, showing diseased portions, and also healthy portions for identification, are best.
