Expert: Jim Hyland - 5/17/2011

Question
I have two Western Hemlocks in my garden in Whistler BC, that were planted in the Autum.

They have both lost all of their needles, can you tell me if the needles will regrow.

Or if the trees will die, now that they have no needles.

Thank You Jenny

Answer
I am sorry when conifer lose their needles they have died. You can check by scraping a small bit of bark off one of the upper branches and if the color under the bark is green the tree is alive but if it is brown the tree is dead. Unlike hardwood trees once a conifer has lost all its needles they do not come back. If you got them from a nursery I would return them for a refund or new trees--they should guarantee then for usually the first year.