The Nordmann fir is not a native conifer. In this country she has to come to terms with different living conditions that may be detrimental to her vitality. So the question is whether this makes them easy prey for local pests.
Two types of pests occur frequently
In its native Caucasus, the Nordmann fir hardly suffers from pest infestation. It has probably adapted ideally to its living environment over the centuries or even millennia and developed great resilience. Things are looking worse for them in our latitudes. The following types of pests can be particularly dangerous:
- Small pine bark beetle
- Pine shoot aphid
Small pine bark beetle
The bark beetle appears preferentially when the Nordmann fir has been placed in a very sunny location. This pest also likes young and weakened specimens. In years when their population is particularly large, even he althy trees are not spared. They damage the bark of the tree in order to lay their eggs underneath. How to recognize the pest:
- Body is 1 to 2 mm long and oval
- dark brown coloring
- Cover wings are covered with scales and hair
- The eggs are 0.5 to 0.8 mm long
- The hatched larvae are white and 2 to 3 mm long
You can also recognize an infestation when shoots and branches turn reddish, including the crown in some cases. If the infestation progresses, the bark will also peel off in places. It is not possible to combat the bark beetle directly, which is why an affected fir tree usually has to be felled.
Pine shoot aphid
The gray-green shoot blue also prefers sunny Nordmann firs. An infestation can be easily recognized by the white wax flakes that the pest leaves behind on the bark of the fir tree. It is important that you discover the work of the lice early on, because in the worst case scenario they can damage the fir tree to such an extent that it dies.
Use environmentally friendly sprays against lice in the winter, for example those based on rapeseed oil.
Tip
Do not plant the Nordmann fir in urban areas, because pests and diseases are not the only threat to them. Air pollution also prevents he althy growth because the tree cannot adapt to it.
