Elite Tree Service is sharing guidance for when evergreen trees turn brown, after a Scottsdale community association reported on October 13, 2026, that 12 more mature Aleppo pines declined. Brown needles do not always mean a tree is dead. An assessment shows whether removal is needed, which helps owners weigh the risks of delaying dead tree removal.
McCormick Ranch Property Owners’ Association said on its website that 12 more pines along its Hayden Road medians declined significantly. The decline led the association to review its approved landscape plans, which had called for removing just two Aleppo pines. Staff also increased watering to help keep the trees alive.
An arborist who inspected the site saw yellowing and browning foliage, resin (a sticky sap) around holes in the bark, and woodpecker damage. The association reported that the arborist confirmed the presence of Mediterranean pine engraver, a bark beetle that attacks stressed pines. It also noted that these signs alone do not confirm the cause, since several conditions can look alike.
The arborist’s report says several stresses likely added up over time instead of one confirmed cause, starting with long stretches of heat and drought. The median has little soil and water storage, and reflected heat adds to the strain. Physical damage and recent trenching, which means digging narrow ditches, may also have affected the roots.
The Valley had a record stretch of days above 110 degrees in 2024, according to a June 17, 2025, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension report. The report said stressed trees can then face other problems, such as bark beetles and sooty canker, a disease that damages branches. It also said pines that receive water show less stress.
The same report noted long-standing problems with eldarica and Aleppo pines in Phoenix. A separate Arizona State University plant reference says Aleppo pine blight, which turns large branches gray and brown in late fall and winter, is common in the Phoenix area. The reference says the cause is still unclear.
In a September 2023 alert, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said the Mediterranean pine engraver reached the state in 2018. The beetle attacks stressed pines, and common signs include browning needles near the treetop and red dust from its boring. Stressed trees make little resin, a sticky sap that pushes beetles out, it says.
The alert adds that orange-brown needles alone can mean a tree needs more water. It lists proper watering and removing dead and dying trees as ways to prevent problems, and says a certified tree care professional can help decide the next step. The community association likewise advised concerned owners to seek an assessment from a qualified arborist.
The Arizona State University reference adds that needles on affected branches most often turn green again the next spring, though some branches die. The extension report advises watering the root zone (the soil where roots spread) and adjusting watering to site conditions. Watering needs vary from tree to tree and site to site.
Elite Tree Service reports that its certified arborists assess tree health, structure, and potential risks before recommending removal or other solutions. The company’s website states that diseased or dying trees may need to be removed. An on-site assessment can help tell apart the conditions that cause similar needle discoloration in evergreen trees.
The company’s arborists and tree care professionals work with homeowners across the Valley. Its services include trimming, removal, stump grinding, tree health care, irrigation, and emergency service. The company’s website lists Arizona Registrar of Contractors license 328759 and states that it is bonded and insured.
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For more information about Elite Tree Service , contact the company here:
Elite Tree Service
Donna T.
(480) 386 1196
service@elitetreeaz.com
17609 N 52nd Ln, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States
