Arborvitae Leaf Tips Are Curly

Question From: H. Titus - Tacoma, Washington, United States
Q: the very tips of branches on my thuja trees are curly. i have a lot of these trees and only 4 or 5 of them present with this weird look. The trees are young, less than a year, they were 18 inches when planted last August and now are twice that size. I live in Western Washington State, Tacoma area.

A: My guess would be aphids. I'd bag up a couple of samples and take them to an independent garden center or nursery or better yet get and onsite inspection from a certified arborist. Since you have a big investment in these plants the smart move would be get an accurate ID and act accordingly. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy