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Arborvitae Decline
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Date Posted: Thu, Feb 26 - 12:58 pm
- We have 2 arborvitae bushes/trees in our front yard. in Goochland County. One has died; the other is dying. They are about 25 years old. Perhaps they have just lived out their lives; but if there is something else it might be helpful to know before we replace them. We are only planting native plants now, so that might help the situation. If you have any thoughts, I would love it. Thanks so much in advance for all that you do for our community.
- Thank you so much for reaching out — and for your commitment to planting natives! That makes such a positive difference for our local ecosystem. Arborvitae can live quite a long time, often 40–150 years depending on the species and growing conditions, so 25 years would not typically be considered old age. When we see one arborvitae turn completely brown and another beginning to decline, it usually points to an environmental or site-related issue rather than natural lifespan. Is this a change that you have just been seeing recently? My first thought goes to the winter weather that we have had - both with all of the ice that we had sticking around forever in January and more recently all of the rain saturating our soils. Arborvitae do not tolerate prolonged saturated soils very well. When soils stay waterlogged, roots are deprived of oxygen and can begin to decline or develop root rot. The extended ice cover would have kept soils cold and saturated longer, further stressing the root system and delaying recovery. Evergreen foliage continues to lose moisture in winter, so if roots are compromised, browning can occur fairly quickly. It's typically not one single environmental factor that can lead to decline but several factors in combination: Wet soil weakens roots, ice delays recovery, a sudden warm spell increases transpiration, the plant cannot move water efficiently. That combination can lead to rapid browning. Spider Mites are also a possibility for the damage but seem much less likely to me. When spider mites are present, the foliage typically turns brown or dusty prior to becoming completely brown and you tend to see gradual thinning, rather than sudden death. It's also a little early to be seeing spider mites, but you could try shaking a branch over a piece of white paper to see if you see anything mite-like coming off. Given the wet winter and prolonged ice we've experienced, root stress from saturated soils is the most likely cause of the decline, particularly if one plant has browned uniformly and rapidly without visible insect evidence. While spider mites (and bagworms) can affect arborvitae, their damage patterns and seasonal timing do not match up with your description. Unfortunately, the one arborvitae that is completely brown is unlikely to recover, as they do not regenerate from old wood. The second tree may continue to decline if root damage has occurred. If you are looking for native replacement options, a couple of suggestions to consider are Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and American Holly (Ilex opaca). Good luck! The arborvitae beautifully framed your porch and I know it must be disappointing to lose them!