Colorado spruce went into Sioux Falls yards and windbreaks by the thousands over the last few decades, and many of them are now in trouble. In its August 2026 tree pest alert, SDSU Extension called Cytospora canker on Colorado spruce "a serious problem" in Sioux Falls, especially in spruce belts planted about 10 feet apart 20 to 30 years ago. The 2024 USDA Forest Service forest health report for South Dakota found Cytospora common on mature, drought-stressed Colorado spruce, along with the needlecast fungi Stigmina and Rhizosphaera causing needle loss in the lower canopy. Cytospora shows up as dying branches, often starting low and on one side, with white resin on the bark. Needlecast shows up as interior and lower needles turning brown or purple and dropping.
There's no spray that cures Cytospora. What helps is reducing stress and removing the source. We prune dead and dying branches back to the trunk in dry weather, when the fungus spreads least, and clean the tools between cuts. We thin crowded rows so air moves and the remaining trees stop competing for water. During dry spells, water deeply. In August 2026 Lincoln County was well below normal rainfall for the year. Needlecast can be managed with properly timed fungicide on trees that still have most of their needles. A spruce that's lost half or more of its branches, or one that's dead on top, won't come back, and a tall dead spruce near a house is a removal.
Pines have their own problem. SDSU reports pine wilt, caused by the pinewood nematode, spreading in South Dakota, with 2026 cases from Beresford to Yankton, mainly on Scotch pine. A Scotch pine that turns brown all at once in late summer should come down and be disposed of before beetles carry the nematode to the next tree. We remove dying spruce and pine in sections where they stand near houses, and chip everything.
What's included
Diagnosis first
Cytospora, needlecast, drought or pine wilt, identified before anything is cut or sprayed.
Dry-weather pruning
Dead and cankered branches cut back to the trunk in dry weather, tools cleaned between cuts.
Windbreak thinning
Crowded rows thinned so the keepers get air, light and water.
Needlecast treatment
Timed fungicide on trees that still have most of their needles.
Dying spruce removed
Tall dead spruce near the house taken down in sections and chipped.
Scotch pine checks
Sudden browning checked for pine wilt, and infected pines removed promptly.
Spruce care and removal cost in Sioux Falls, SD
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dead lower-limb pruning, one spruce | $150 – $500 | Dry weather, clean cuts |
| Spruce removal, 30–50 ft | $500 – $1,400 | Sections near the house |
| Windbreak row removal or thinning, per tree | $300 – $900 | Volume pricing for rows |
| Needlecast fungicide, per tree per season | $100 – $250 | Usually two applications |
| Scotch pine removal, pine wilt | $400 – $1,500 | Wood chipped or hauled |
| Stump grinding | $120 – $350 | Per stump |
These are 2026 Sioux Falls ranges to help you budget. Your written price is itemized (climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about spruce care
Can a spruce with Cytospora be saved?
If it still has most of its branches, it can often be kept going for years by pruning out dead limbs in dry weather, thinning crowded neighbors and watering in drought. Once it's lost half its canopy or is dying at the top, removal is the honest answer.
Why is my spruce dying from the bottom up?
In Sioux Falls the usual causes are Cytospora canker and needlecast, both made worse by crowding and drought. White resin on the bark points to Cytospora. Brown or purple inner needles point to needlecast.
Should I spray it?
Fungicide helps needlecast if it's timed right and the tree still has needles to protect. It doesn't cure Cytospora. We'll tell you which one you have before you spend money on spraying.
Our windbreak is planted 10 feet apart. Is that a problem?
Often, after 20 years. SDSU points to exactly those rows as where Cytospora is worst. Removing every other tree usually helps the ones that stay.
My Scotch pine turned brown all at once. What happened?
That pattern in late summer points to pine wilt, which SDSU reports spreading in South Dakota. The tree won't recover and should come down promptly.
Do you replace spruce with something else?
Yes. Many owners swap a dying spruce row for a mix of species so one disease can't take out the whole screen. See tree planting.