Question
Dear Mr. Hyland:
I purchased an "alive" Christmas last season. It was not a noble fir but another type of pine tree. I live near the ocean and it is warm. I water the tree when to soil feels dry. The tree appears healthy with no sagging branches and it has some small shoots growing at the tips. HOWEVER, the needles near the trunk are all brown and dead and it appears that the needles are starting to brown and die farther away from the trunk. The tree is  very beautiful and was somewhat expensive. I was hoping to use it one more season and then plant it in the nearby forest. If you have any advice that would be great.
Thanks in advance,
Elliott Lee

Answer
It maybe anything from natural needle shedding to a foliage disease--not really enough information to say for sure. Looks like natural shedding. Here are a few reasons for needle drop.

Needles may turn brown and drop on conifer trees for several reasons. Before you become alarmed or treat the tree with a pesticide, you need to find out why the needles are dropping. Only then can you use appropriate treatment if the tree even needs one. Like all evergreen plants, both needled and broadleaf, fir type trees eventually drop foliage. An individual needle will naturally stay on a spruce branch for 2-3 years, and then turn brown before dropping. It is possible to mistake natural needle fall for a pest problem. Natural needle fall occurs mainly on the inside of the tree and the older sections of the branch. It does not occur on or near the branch tips where the newest needles are located. Natural needle fall is seldom conspicuous on conifer trees. Natural needle drop on pines, particularly on white pines in the fall, can be very obvious and may cause you concern if you are not familiar with it.

Cytospora canker, a fungal disease, is the most common reason for unnatural needle drop on some conifers. It also occasionally occurs on blue spruce, Norway spruce, but rarely on white spruce. Cytospora canker is a very common disease of conifers. The first symptom is browning of needles at the tips of the branches, followed by death of the lower branches. Over several years, it spreads upward to other branches. Dead areas, called cankers form at the base of the branches, but do not discolor or become depressed. Instead, resin flow is seen, causing conspicuous patches of white resin on the bark. Cut out all cankered branches, avoid making unnecessary wounds, and keep the tree healthy and vigorous. Stress leads to more severe canker development. If the tree becomes a visual liability, it is best to remove it. Fungicides are not an effective control measure.

Rhizosphaera needlecast is another cause of needle drop. This disease also tends to start on the lower branches and moves up the tree. It does not attack individual branches, but rather several branches all at one time. The first symptom appears in late summer when needles are speckled with yellow blotches. Later the needles turn brown or purplish brown on blue spruce. The needles drop the following summer or autumn, about 12-15 months after infestation. Close inspection with a hand lens reveals rows of distinct black specks on affected needles. These black specks provide positive diagnosis for Rhizosphaera needlecast. This disease rarely kills trees, but heavily infected trees may suffer severe needle loss. If the tree is severely defoliated 3 or 4 years in a row, some branches may die. It is best to let an expert diagnose this problem before the tree is treated.

Spider mites can also cause needle drop on spruce trees. Mites are a potential problem on all spruce trees. As spider mites feed on the needles with their sucking mouth parts, they cause the needles to turn dull and eventually become yellowish green and drop. Close inspection with a hand lens will reveal a fine webbing between the needles. Another way to check for mites is to hold a piece of white paper beneath a branch and shake the branch vigorously. If mites are present, you will see tiny, moving specks on the paper. Minor infestations can be treated by showering the tree with a strong spray from the garden hose. If the infestation is heavy, chemical treatment may be required. Check with your local nursery or garden center for currently available sprays for spider mites.