09/11/2026
☠️DEAD BALSAMS☠️
Along highways, in yards, road side, at shorelines, in the forest, in deep soil, on bedrock, we have seen orange and dying conifers/evergreens everywhere. It is common to see a few struggle through the winter months, but this year is excessive.
The reason - DROUGHT.
Summer 2025 was a scorcher with very little rain. And Fall conditions only worsened with record low precipitation. By the end of October 2025, underground aquifer supplies were so dry they were considered in Level 3 drought conditions throughout eastern Ontario. This means it was not just dry...it was very very dry.
Fall is normally the time of year conifers store as much water as possible for winter supply. Dry conditions can cause some species to be short in supply. Species such as Spruce and most deciduous trees have deep root systems, meaning the can get water from deeper aquifers and are less impacted by seasonal drought. Balsam and Pine trees however only grow roots in the top 4-6 inches of soil. These shallow root systems and the top layer of soil are the first to dry out in drought conditions and the most likely to be short in stored supplies. So it is not ALL evergreen species you are seeing turn orange- it is primarily Balsams and Pines.
When a tree experiences drought with no additional water storage, it will begin to pull nutrients from its outer most extremities in a last-resort-effort to preserve energy. This is why you will see the tips of branches turn orange and defoliate while some inner foliage remains green. While this is a fascinating survival tactic, it is merely a beginning to the end. When the tips defoliate first, the tree is unable to photosynthesize effectively, leading to an inevitable mortality. At the point of defoliation, there is simply not enough water in the world to bring back that tree.
TreeKings Arboriculture Inc.
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