The blue spruce is a well-known tree at risk of dying off in the next few years. If you observe the natural bluesish color fading that means the tree is dying. Nick Simons, owner of Hartwood Treecare, says it’s all because of fungi.

“We’re losing so many of them now and there’s no treatment for it. The reason Blue Spruce Trees have been attacked by fungi like needle cast and Cytospora is because of our climate. If you imagine a wet basement mold grows. Their native habitat is alpine areas high elevations very dry.”

Simons said it’s especially bad when people have sprinklers near the tree, giving it too much water. Trees with brown and yellowish branches have fungi. Within ten years, he believes we will not see these trees anymore.

Greg Leyes works in Nursery Sales at Ginger Valley and has seen a lot of issues with the trees.

“They’re having problems with the hot weather, their original place is the mountains of Colorado where it doesn’t get this hot.” However, he said there are some steps you can take when you spot fungus.

“Once you see these turn brown then you want to look for the color and you can bring samples in. We would diagnose with copper fungicide.”

Leyes said the copper fungicide usually work but he still wants people to be careful with their blue spruce trees. “If you plant it near trees that have disease remember fungus is airborne they can blow onto it.”