Description

• Often used as Christmas trees and border trees (they grow about one and a half feet per year, making them a good screen), Fir trees commonly grow to between 40 and 50 feet tall and spread 15 to 25 feet around. Needles or blades are usually less than 2 inches long and do not change color in the fall. Fir trees do have inconspicuous red flowers, but they are not "showy."
  
  

Pine Twig Blight

• Pine twig blight is a problem that stressed trees can have. A tree will usually not die from this blight unless the whole tree is somehow weakened. Infection usually occurs at the terminal bud near a branch tip. Needles on infected branches turn reddish and die. Cut off any infected branches to prevent the fungus from spreading.
  
  

Velvet Top Fungus

• Velvet top fungus is a slow-growing fungus that often goes unseen because it can take up to 300 years before making an appearance on a tree. It is, essentially, the death by old age fungus of fir trees, primarily the Douglas fir. The fungus decays the upper roots and lower stem of old trees, making them weak. The trees may seem to be healthy, but they are structurally damaged and can topple over with a blow from even a minor windstorm.
  
  

Fir Broom Rust

• A broom fungus, this "rust" literally forms small brooms on the branches of fir trees. Infected branches become swollen and form a canker out of which the perennial broom forms. This fungus has caused serious damage on some fir trees in parts of North America, although it rarely kills its host tree. They are often yellow-orange in color, due to the coloring of the spores and fungus structure.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Prevention is the key to keeping fir trees healthy. Fertilize and water them appropriately and make sure they are well-drained. Trees that are too heavily shaded (rarely see sun) might have more fungal issues than those who get some sun. Cut off any branch that has been damaged by fungus and continue to monitor the tree for additional infestation.
  
  

Other Types

• There are many varieties of fungus that can invade and destroy a fir tree. Most look for a wound or opening already in the tree and invade the sap or heartwood through it. Clusters of various mushrooms around a wound can indicate the rot. If the tree is old, it is possible that the fungus is an indication of its final stage of life. If the tree is still vital, cutting off infected limbs or branches can prevent the fungus from spreading.