A: Your pine is showing early stages of Fusiform rust, a fungal disease. As the spots grow larger and swell, which they will, cankers can girdle and kill the tree. An interesting note, rusts like this often have/need an alternate host. In this case, that would be an oak tree. Oaks nearby may show symptoms too, by way of orange spores on their leaves. Both hosts are required for Fusiform rust to develop.

According to the Alabama Forestry Commission, “stems with cankers are weak and susceptible to wind and ice breakage. They easily catch fire and stay afire, either killing the tree or reducing its value.” Since pines are susceptible to failing, I would have an arborist out to see how much you’re dealing with and whether or not they need to come down. Find a certified Georgia arborist here.

After receiving this question from Matthew, I went and inspected a pine in my own yard which is clearly struggling. Though unrelated, I thought this an interesting case to share.

The galleries, revealed now that the bark has fallen off, indicate southern pine beetle activity. And the deep hole is likely from a hungry woodpecker that pecked through the bark to feast on those beetles. Mary Carol Sheffield, UGA Extension agent for Paulding County, says that unfortunately, “this drought makes trees more susceptible to southern pine beetle.” Keep an eye on your pines, and if the damage is extensive like this, it’s best to have the tree removed.

©2026 Cox Media Group