My Pine tree is dead; what should I do? Maybe Nothing!

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There are two common deciduous narrow leaf trees that lose their needles in the fall. The Bald Cypress and the Dawn Redwood are two hardy trees, which thrive in Ohio. In the fall, they lose their needles causing some alarm at the possible death of an evergreen.

The Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum is a pyramidal conifer

 

Bald Cypress indy

 

which grows 50-70' tall. It has soft, feathery foliage that is light green in the summer

 

 

bald foilage

 

but turns yellow to brown in the fall,

 

Bald cypress brown

 

and eventually leaves the tree looking bare or bald.

 

Cypress bald

 

Although it looks like a needled evergreen in summer, it is deciduous. Trunks are flared at the base,

 

bald flare

 

and when growing in water, often develop distinctive, knobby root growths, referred to as knees, which protrude above the water surface or wet area around the tree.

 

 

knees

It is a relative to the dawn redwood (Metasequoia) which is also deciduous.

 

Now most evergreens lose up to a third of their needles in the fall like this White Pine - Pinus strobus:

 

White pine needle loss

 

This is normal!

 

The Dawn Redwood, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is a deciduous, coniferous tree that grows in a conical shape to 100’ tall.

 

mature dawn redwood

 

As the tree matures, the trunk broadens at the base and develops attractive and sometimes elaborate fluting and deeply fissured bark.

 

dawn redwood base

 

Its fern-like foliage that is soft to the touch.

 

Meta green foilage

 

Foliage emerges light green in spring, matures to deep green in summer and turns red-bronze in fall.

 

dawn redwood fall color

 

Dawn redwood prefers, moist well-drained soil, unlike the Bald Cypress, which can grow in wet soil to even intermittent standing water. It is related to and closely and resembles bald cypress (Taxodium) and redwood (Sequoia).

Consider using Bald Cypress or Dawn Redwood in your landscape. You may fall in love with them. I know I love saying the Latin names! Metasequoia glyptostraboides!

For additional information see:

Bald Cypress:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m510

Dawn Redwood:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a396