AusBonsai

Hey all,

I bought this Cryptomeria Globosa from a nursery a month or so ago, full well accepting it may have some issues. When I got it, it had some yellowing around the top of the tree. The lower half and inside of the foliage was healthy and green looking. The top almost looks like there's a cone of foliage that is yellow/brown with the green foliage sitting like a donut underneath it.

I put it in full sun , got it into watering properly. Now about a month later it hasn't seemed to have changed at all, possibly the lower foliage is looking a little less green. For the moment, I've taken him out of full sun and into a dappled shade area, and I'm considering trying a copper type fungicide just in case it's a blight of some sort.

Does anyone have any suggestion or ideas of how to get this guy looking vibrant again?

Photos 1 + 2 were from a month ago when I first brought him home, photos 3 + 4 are from today.

Epsom salts usually help green up a tree especially when they get that winter copper brown look.

Fungicide helps for fungal issues (obviously). Copper spray is a good preventative to nip the fungus before it takes over.

I’ve seen in my own conifers on occasion similar “die off” - if I trace the branch down to the trunk there has sometimes been a small snap at a junction. It’s like water gets in or the tree gives up on that section resulting in die off.

Surprisingly, with your tree the browning is at the top of the bush - the most vigorous part. Could it be a pest attacking fresh new growth for dinner?

So I had the same line of reasoning - used a tblspn of epsom salts last night, and will be going ahead with the copper fungicude when the lockdown ends in a few days. I can't see any pests and have tried the paper/shaking foliage tricks, but I could be missing something. It's also been suggested that to check the roots for dead or sick ones on the outside of the rootball. Will keep updated!