Ilove, thanks for providing that link. Very troubling indeed. What's worse for me, I purchased 2000 Norway spruce seedlings from the State of Michigan as a portion of our planting efforts 3 years ago. It's a long story, but suffice to say, where my land is, an offering of tree seedlings from a location in Michigan's Upper Penninsula made sense, my finding out that these trees were actually grown in the Lower Penninsula only coming later. So if you think you're concerned, imagine me! And it's not just these 2000 or so which could be vulnerable. I've got another 1000 or so from previous year's efforts at that same location. Those earlier ones came from different growers and so far at least, have been growing rapidly.

How many spruce trees do you have? I'm not suggesting your problem pales in comparison to some others, like myself, for instance. But maybe it does, lol!

+oM

The article doesn't state how suspectible or widespread or what variables need to be in place for it to be an issue. Since they say its typically been seen in xmas farms and nursieres its likely irrigation and air circulation that causes the spread.

I just look at it as another potential pest/diesease and therefore be on the lookout.

Everyone's spruces aren't going to suddenly start contracting this disease.

They even state in the article "limited number of tests". Even better "it appears". Poorly written article in my mind that is garnered to cause fear.

Need more crediable sources to do more controlled testing.

Is the Phomopsis species causing shoot blight the same as that causing spruce decline? In the limited number of tests we have made, the answer is yes. It appears to be the same species of pathogen.

The header at the top of the article states, "Phomopsis cankers are causing shoot blight symptoms in nurseries and a general decline of spruce trees in the landscape." (emphasis mine).

I had the pleasure of attending a seminar by Dr. Albright of the Department of Plant Pathology at MSU at the ACS Conifer College in 2012. Although they first got involved due to concerns by Xmas tree farms they soon discovered it went beyond the nurseries. The article was written in April of 2012 and by the seminar date in July of 2012 they had discovered via DNA testing that these pathogens appeared to be some bizarre morphing of European strains. I'll have to see if I can dig up my notes from the class for more details. Not all spruce were affected and not all P. abies or P. glauca were affected so I wouldn't give up on spruce in general or even those specific spruces just yet.

tj

Didn't realize Norway was affected. That sucks...

Yes, I wanted to say that also....that especially for OP Ilovemytrees-do not go into a panic over this. It is concerning but things just don't work that way....that suddenly and immediately, your new spruce trees are dead. And I still think both native strains of white spruce-native to your and my area, that is, and Norway spruce, are going to prove less susceptible to this disease complex than say, all Rocky Mtn. spruce species and also that 'Black Hills' variant you had originally contemplated. Those are all adapted to dry air regimes and as such, I think, are always going to be less successful in the Great Lakes region than locally-adapted (and Norway spruce, which seems better-adapted still) spruce species.

+om

ps...........By all means TJ, if you are able, I'd appreciate a look at whatever you may have gleaned from that workshop. Thnx.

I am cancelling my order of my Spruces.. I am only going to get the Filbert Tree.

Well, I'd say that's an extreme over-reaction! Do what you want to do though. It does seem however, that you may be prone to making and breaking lots of planting plans. It takes a bit of forebearance to see some of these things through. Not instant gratification.

+oM

+oM, I care about the long term investment of trees that I plant. There is no reason to plant trees that have a plague, that is spreading around, that will one day kill the trees.

Since this topic surfaced, I've had the opportunity to review some of the literature. What I'm seeing is that even in worst-case scenarios, all trees of any given species do not succumb, and spruce species vary in their susceptibility, with again, Rocky Mtn. species being far and away the most prone to this problem, white spruce being intermediate, and Norway spruce having the most resistance, or at least, the lowest incidence of infection. I fully recognize you must do as you see fit. I've got no issue with that. I do, however, maintain that yours is a classic overreaction. So be it.

I most definitely will not be unplanting my 3000 or whatever I've got! And while there's no way to prove or disprove this, if there was, I'd wager that in twenty years, there are going to be quite an abundance of nice, healthy spruce-mostly Norway but some white and a handful of others-up at my plantation.

+om

filbert are susceptible to a certain disease.. which killed my harry lauders ...


eastern filbert blight

link

ken

Thats the funny part. Eastern Filbert Blight is much more widespread and a proven issue in the landscape.

Just my 2 cents cancel your filbert and get the White Spruce.

ilovemytrees- First and foremost, do you know which trees were damaged at the nursery? Second, has the nursery had any testing done to ID the issue? Third, take a deep breath and step back. Like, +om, I'd have no issue planting any spruce except pungens.

tj

Lots of good points made here. This isn't the first time time a pathogen has caused issues in spruce, and certainly won't be the last. Almost all trees have some potential issues. The key is to diversify your collection, so you don't get wiped out if something serious comes along. In the east Norway spruce is nearly bulletproof, self-seeding, and specimens that are taller and healthier than many of the native Pinus strobus of similar age.

I won't rant about Blue spruce issues, but those would be by far the most vulnerable to any type of disease, pathogen, fungus... with White spruce a pretty distant second.

I canceled my order also for my Filbert Tree, based on the link that ken_adrian posted.

If you are looking for totally bullet proof plants you are going to be looking for the rest of your life. Plants are living things, just like us, with each kind often having whole lists of known potential health issues.

Just like us.

Of course, if a particular problem has already become pandemic in a particular area on a particular plant, so that few, if any healthy examples are seen (Chestnut Blight, Dutch Elm Disease and so on) then it probably would be stupid to buy and plant susceptible kinds of plants in that area.

Resistant cultivars of filberts have already been developed and introduced by Oregon State University. So it does not automatically follow that a filbert planting will be spoiled by Eastern Filbert Blight - all you have to do is use resistant cultivars.