What's eating my pyramidalis arborvitae?

Pyramidalis Arborvitae is widely used as a privacy hedge, making it a prime target for deer browsing along fence lines. Bagworms can devastate a whole hedge row if undetected. Spider mites and leafminers cause tip dieback. Consistent monitoring and preventative repellent use protect the tight pyramidal form.

Foliage browsed from the base upward; hedge gaps form where repeated browsing kills branch tips Deer repellent applied every 2–3 weeks; install 8 ft fencing along the hedge perimeter in severe cases

Multiple bags in a hedge row cause widespread defoliation; brown patches through an otherwise green hedge Walk the entire hedge in autumn to hand-pick every bag; Bt spray in late June across all plants in the row

Stippled, bronzed foliage in summer; worst on plants under drought stress or close to paved surfaces Keep plants well watered; horticultural oil or miticide application in summer