When a false cypress starts turning brown, it’s more than just an eyesore—it’s your plant’s way of asking for help. Dry soil, hidden pests, or tiny fungi can quickly turn bright green needles dull and brittle. Here’s how to spot the real false cypress problems early and bring your tree back to life before it spreads.
| Problems | |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | Probable Causes |
| Lower Branches Die | The Sarawa False Cypress varieties have a tendency to lose their lower branches fairly early in life. There is no way to prevent this. Trim them off and enjoy the handsome reddish-brown, peeling bark on the exposed lower trunk. |
| Foliage Turns Brown | Lack of Moisture - Reduced moisture during hot summer months sometimes causes False Cypress foliage to turn brown. Twigs may drop. Soak the soil under the mulch with water to a depth of two feet by watering slowly. Use drip irrigation or a hose turned on slightly to permit a slow drip. Check soil moisture under the mulch every two or three weeks if rainfall is sparse. |
| Needles Turn Yellow; Weak; Dying Branches | Weevil - Black vine weevils sometimes attack False Cypress. Adults are brown beetles with long snouts. They have tear-shaped and hard-shelled bodies, averaging 3/8 inch long. They feed on leaves and bark, leaving characteristic notches along the edges of cypress needles. Weevil larvae, white grubs with brown heads, feed on roots deep in the soil. These pests are hard to spot because they feed at night, living under tree bark and debris on the ground by day. |
| Because these weevils "play dead" when disturbed, folding their legs and dropping off plants to the ground, they can be trapped. Gently beat the branches of the infested tree and catch the startled insects when they fall onto a cloth spread beneath the shrub. | |
| Yellow Needles | Scale - A scale insect that is fond of juniper also likes False Cypress. Adult females winter over in the vicinity of the shrubs. Their young appear in the spring. They are tiny crawling insects, white at first, changing to gray or black. They curl at the base of cypress needles and suck the juice from plant cells. |
| Webbed; Sticky Needles | Spider Mite - A spider mite that favors spruces occasionally attacks False Cypresses. These mites resemble tiny spiders. They are green at first, turning greenish black as they mature. Because they are only 1/64 inch long, their webs are more likely to be noticed than they are. The female lays her eggs on twigs and among the needles where they pass the winter. In the spring young mites feed on the foliage, causing it to turn yellow and look sickly. |
| Branch Tips Browned; Die Back | Twig Blight - A fungus that often attacks red cedars, arborvitaes and junipers, also appears on False Cypresses occasionally. The fungus is harbored on older trees in the vicinity and its spores are carried by wind, rain, and contaminated gardening tools. They land on False Cypress twigs and foliage, causing their tips to turn brown and die back. Progressively the fungus spreads until entire branches, and possibly the tree, die. This disease is more common in seedlings, nursery stock and 8 to 10 foot trees planted as ornamentals. Once False Cypresses and others are over 5 years old, they sustain little damage from this disease. |
Conclusion
False cypress problems usually start small, dry roots, insects, or fungus, but fixing them early keeps your shrub green and healthy year-round. If your cypress tree is browning, don’t wait until it’s too late. Follow simple care steps and check our False Cypress Care Guide to keep it thriving.
Still Seeing Brown Needles? Let’s Fix It.
Why is my false cypress turning brown?
False cypress trees turn brown mostly from watering problems. Dry soil causes stress, while soggy roots invite fungus and pests like weevils or spider mites. Check soil six inches deep, water slowly only when slightly dry. Trim affected tips and give the plant good sunlight. See our False Cypress Care Guide for full recovery steps.
Do cypress trees turn brown in the winter?
Yes, some cypress trees, like the bald cypress, naturally turn brown and shed their needles in winter. It’s part of their dormancy cycle.
If your evergreen cypress is browning instead, it may be reacting to cold, wind, or drought stress. Keep roots mulched and watered during dry spells to prevent damage.
Is false cypress deer resistant?
Yes, false cypress is generally considered deer resistant. Deer rarely browse on it because of its dense texture and scent.
However, during harsh winters when food is scarce, they may nibble on young plants. In high-deer areas, protect shrubs with burlap or use natural repellents.
