Blue spruce with dying lower branches and aspens with sunken orange or black patches on the bark are often telling the same story: Cytospora canker.
Cytospora is a fungal disease that takes hold in trees already stressed by drought, heat, or root damage, and it is common across Park City, Cottonwood Heights, and Sandy. On spruce, look for white resin streaking down the bark and needles browning from the bottom up.
There is no spray that cures an established canker, which is why diagnosis matters. Our ISA Board Certified Master Arborist looks at the whole tree, prunes out infected limbs during dry weather, and builds a prescription plan that addresses the underlying stress, whether that is water, soil, or root health.
Catching it early, while most of the canopy is still healthy, gives the tree its best chance. Watering deeply during dry spells and avoiding wounds to the bark also help limit new infections.
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Close-up photo of resin streaks or canker on a blue spruce or aspen trunk, plus a wider shot of lower-branch dieback on a spruce. Authentic local photos preferred over stock.
Canva text suggestion: "Spruce Dying From the Bottom Up?" or "Cytospora Starts With a Stressed Tree"