09/26/2026
Is your arborvitae dying?
Probably not, but let’s talk about it.
It’s a call we often get this time of year. Arborvitaes shed their innermost needles every fall as the plant prepares for winter. Transplanting, over/under watering, or root damage can also cause this reaction during other times of the year. (So your brand new freshly planted arborvitae isn’t dying, it’s just being a little dramatic.) The inner needles turning orange and falling off is a normal phenomenon observed in coniferous trees and shrubs. Not immediately concerning.
Now, if an entire branch is turning orange, that’s an issue.
Rodents will often chew around the branches, especially over the winter. The inner bark (phloem) is a plant’s circulatory system, and damaging it effectively strangles that portion of the plant. How much of the circumference is chewed tells you exactly how compromised that branch is. A branch that’s 40% damaged can often recover, but any more than that will likely cause the failure of the limb.
How can it be prevented? It isn’t anyone’s favorite chore, but removing the fallen needles caught in the interior of the plant is a deterrent. Mice will use those needles as a cozy winter nest and have a snack while there. A gentle shaking, a strong leaf blower, or a hand saw used to carefully pull needles out from between branches can speed up the process.
