Courtesy of Tracey Olson, PDA. Figure 3. Rhizosphaera needle cast causes needles to turn purplish brown and fall from the tree, usually from the inside of the tree working out and from the bottom of the tree working up. Figure 2. A: The indication in the photograph (shown here) are classic symptoms of a common foliar disease called Rhizosphaera Needle Cast, which routinely affects … Our 6 Point Protection Program will provide several critically timed sprays to the plant will help control needle cast, extend the life of the plant and minimize overall damage. You can have your tree looking lush and beautiful again within a few years by following a program of needle cast treatment. Most infected needles are cast in the fall, but some infected needles will remain on the tree. The sooner you treat needle cast disease, the better chance your trees have. The humid weather, clay soils, and dry summers of the Great Lake State make it difficult Prevention is the key in controlling needle cast. Needle cast infects spruce tree needles, quickly spreading from tree to tree. Fungal fruiting bodies appear as two rows of black dots on the undersides of the needles, along either side of midrib. Here at Natural Way we have certified professionals who are used to preventing and controlling diseases like needle cast. NEEDLE CAST DISEASE So named for the part of the tree that it attacks, needle cast disease is common throughout the Midwest. For effective control, infected trees should be treated once in mid-May and again four to six weeks later. Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease on spruce trees that is received in the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. Apparently healthy needles bearing fruiting bodies. If you have seen trees affected by needle cast disease in the area, avoid planting this highly susceptible tree. NEEDLE CAST DISEASE Keeping your trees healthy is a struggle under the best of circumstances, but it’s particularly difficult if they aren’t native to where you live. Early detection and proper diagnosis is important in the treatment of this fungal disease and to ensure the health of your tree. One and two-year-old infected needles turn from yellow to brown or appear mottled in late winter. In Michigan, spruce trees are a powerful case in point. This discoloration is very striking, particularly on Colorado spruce with bright blue color (Figure 4). The best proactive means for preventing needle cast disease is to plant your Blue Spruce in the proper location and provide proper care. Needle Cast Diseases of Douglass fir Swiss Needle Cast of Douglas Fir. Infected reddish-brown needle in fall. Stigmina and Rhizosphaera Needle Cast in Trees. Rhizosphaera needle cast is caused by fungal pathogens within the genus Rhizosphaera.This genus also infects several conifer species including; fir, cedar, spruce, and pine These diseases primarily affect blue spruce. Identifying Needle Cast. Repeated infection will cause branch dieback.