What's eating my dawn redwood 'ogon'?

'Ogon' is the Japanese synonym for this golden Dawn Redwood selection and shares identical pest vulnerabilities. Spider mites are the most common problem in hot, dry spells, causing needle bronzing. Bagworms can defoliate shoots in late summer, and deer browse young plants before the bark toughens.

Needle tips turn bronze or brown in summer; dusty webbing visible on close inspection Maintain adequate soil moisture to reduce plant stress; wash foliage with water jets and apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if infestations are confirmed

Spindle-shaped bags of silk and chewed needles hanging from branches; heavy infestations strip shoots Remove bags by hand in autumn through early spring; spray emerging caterpillars with Bt kurstaki or spinosad from late May onward

Soft shoot tips browsed and lower branches stripped, especially on newly planted trees Install wire mesh cages or use deer repellents while the tree establishes over its first several years