Orange Means Caution

You may have noticed a number of 'orange' hemlocks in the area. They are not a mutation or new hybrid species but rather living examples of cause and effect.

The effect is known as 'winter burn'. The telltale orange color is actually needles which have turned brown. The browning is caused when more water has left the branches than the tree has been able to replenish.

The cause can be traced back to the hot dry conditions of summer followed by an unseasonably warm autumn.

By their nature, hemlocks are extremely susceptible to dry conditions and need a constant supply of moisture. Regrettably, there have been few opportunities for the trees to replenish moisture over the past six months. Damage has been worse for those trees exposed to afternoon sun, strong winds or the spray from road salt.

The best course of action is to water substantially, spread a deep layer of mulch around the base of the tree and delay pruning until renewed growth is well underway. Some trees may lose a single limb or more but most trees will recover.