Cones, Pine Cones
Key Features

  • Red bumps on twig tip
  • Brown bumps on twig base
  • Brown cone like structures
Female pine cones in May
Female pine cones in May
Male pine cones in May
Male pine cones in May
1 year old pine cone before opening
1 year old pine cone before opening
Symptoms

Conifers like pines, spruce, fir, and junipers produce male and female cones in the spring. Elongate brown male cones will release a dusty pollen when touched in May. Female cones start out small, but then become larger after pollination and the seeds ripen. Seeds are released in the following year and cones can hang on to branches for multiple years. This is normal. Strobilus is the Latin name for the cone of a pine, fir, or other conifer, including (but not limited to!) arborvitae, white-cedars, true cedars, dawn redwood, baldcyprus, and others.

Bald cypress cone
Bald cypress cone
Cone of Atlantic cedar
Cone of Atlantic cedar
Juniper berries (cones) serve as an important food for warblers. Photo by Ian Barker.
Juniper berries (cones) serve as an important food for warblers. Photo by Ian Barker.
Biology

In spring conifers produce young male and female cones soon after shoots elongate and new needles are produced. Brown elongate male pine cones will pollinate female cones that expand as the pine seeds mature inside.

Thuja spp. cones. Photo by H. Zell.
Thuja spp. cones. Photo by H. Zell.
Management Recommendations

Cones are a normal part of conifer development. No management is needed.

Effective Pesticides

Pesticides are neither available nor recommended for managing this condition.