Ask an Expert
Question from Wayne, Ivins, UT (received 3/06/21) -
Attached are two pictures of a large juniper on the property of a house I recently moved into in Ivins, Utah. The overall picture shows that this specific tree is somewhat "droopy" and the closeup shows what appears to be a sort of small insect (beetle?) infestation whose tunnels are exposed where the bark has peeled off. Only one or perhaps two of the three main "trunks" of the tree appear to be affected, but that is not entirely clear.
Additional details: the previous owners seemed to over-water everything, and then, perhaps two years before we purchased the house, apparently had to stop caring for the property, and the irrigation system fell into disrepair. The nearby junipers are all a bit smaller and appear to be more healthy.
Can this tree be saved, or we need to remove it to avoid infestation in the neighboring junipers?
Thank you for your assistance!
Wayne
Answer from Dr. Mike Kuhns, USU Extension Forester and Professor (sent 3/08/21) -
Hi Wayne,
The tree is a juniper; likely a Rocky Mountain juniper. Overall it looks pretty good. The canopy is fairly full and it has been growing pretty well. I can’t even tell which part has the beetle damage; and that is what it is — a bark beetle of some kind. I suggest that you prune off the branch below the point where the damage is evident. It could be that irrigation amounts were inadequate for the tree, and dehydration or drought can definitely affect tree defenses against insects and diseases. Though you mention possible effects of overwatering, I think that underwatering is more likely than the alternative, especially during the couple of years that the landscape was neglected.