What's eating my pumila norway spruce?

Pumila Norway Spruce, a slow-growing compact mound, is most vulnerable to spruce spider mites whose colonies thrive in the dense interior foliage. Spruce gall adelgids and Zimmermann pine moth can also cause problems. Good garden hygiene, avoiding overhead irrigation, and routine monitoring from spring onward keep this plant healthy.

Fine webbing, stippled yellow-bronze needles, and premature needle cast, most visible on inner branches. Apply horticultural oil early in the season; use insecticidal soap sprays during active mite periods; ensure adequate watering in dry spells.

Small, pineapple-like galls form at the base of new shoots on Norway spruce, causing stunted, distorted growth. Apply dormant oil before bud break; prune and destroy closed galls in late spring before they open.

Spindle-shaped silk bags hang from branches; larvae consume needles, causing dieback and bare patches. Hand-pick bags in fall through early spring; spray Bt or spinosad on young larvae in late spring to early summer.