Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Evergreen Trees and Shrubs > Fir > Interior needles turn brown to gray
Fir > Needles > Interior needles turn brown to gray, tips remain green
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Lirula needle blight
Lirula mirabilis and L. nervata
- 1 yr old needles reddish-brown in June and July
- Diseased needles turn gray with age and remain attached for several years
- L. nervata – a raised black line develops along the midrib of infected 3-4 yr old needles
- L. mirabilis - 2 raised lines, the color of the needle, develop parallel to the midrib of 3-4 yr old needles
- Lower branches most affected
- Cool, wet weather favors this disease
- More information on Lirula needle blight
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Rhizosphaera needle cast
Rhizosphaera pini
- Drooping, grayish-tan needles in late spring or early summer
- Needles at the branch tips remain green, while older needles closer to the trunk of the tree become discolored
- Tiny black dots can be seen with a hand lens on infected needles
- Discolored needles fall off mid-summer; tree looks thin and bare
- Damage typically starts on the lower branches and moves up the tree
- More information on Rhizosphaera needle cast
