ARE YOUR TREES DYING?
OUR ATTORNEYS CAN HELP

Please fill out the submission form on the right
or call us immediately at 1-877-525-4100
and ask to speak with attorneys Jeffrey Ostrow or Jason Alperstein.

For more information on Imprelis� herbicide see below.

Imprelis� Herbicide Injury to Landscape Trees

Are you a homeowner, golf course owner, landscaper, nursery owner, or landowner who has suffered unexplainable damage or death to evergreen trees? If so, you may be a victim of the turfgrass herbicide, Imprelis, marketed and sold by DuPont Professional Products, a division of DuPont De Nemours & Company. Imprelis, introduced on October 4, 2010, and used by many lawn care professionals, has been reported to cause significant injury to Norway spruce, Colorado spruce, eastern white pine, firs and yews consistent with growth regulator type herbicides.  Observable injury includes the browning of shoots and needles and twisting and stunting of shoots, especially near tops of trees.

On June 17, 2011, after numerous reports of widespread tree damage across the country, DuPont issued a statement warning applicators to stop applying Imprelis in close proximity to Norway spruce or white pines. In response, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began an expedited review of Imprelis and its effects on several species of evergreens.

Unlike other tree diseases or problems, Imprelis causes rapid damage which persists for months in areas treated with the herbicide. Further, it has been reported that Imprelis can kill new trees that are planted in areas treated up to a year prior to planting. Not only does Imprelis cause dramatic injury to property aesthetics, it also results in the death of trees, requiring costly removal and replacement. Imprelis-related injury has been reported throughout the Midwest, and East Coast, including in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

If you have seen once healthy trees suffer unexplainable damage or death following the application of Imprelis on your property or surrounding properties,please fill out the above contact submission form or call us immediately at 1-877-525-4100 and ask to speak with attorneys Jeffrey Ostrow or Jason Alperstein.

What To Do With Imprelis Affected Trees

If you suspect that your trees have been affected by Imprelis please do not remove or otherwise tamper with any damaged trees. It is essential that you preserve the evidence by taking detailed photographs and samples of the damaged trees and surrounding soil. In addition, please gather any documentation you may have regarding the purchase and use of Imprelis on your property or on neighboring properties. Also, retain any unused Imprelis product.

DuPont Warning Letter

Have you received a letter like this? If so, you may have been affected by Imprelis.  Contact us now by filling out the form to the right or calling us toll-free at 1-877-525-4100. Please ask to speak with attorneys Jeffrey Ostrow or Jason Alperstein.

Additional Information on Suspected Imprelis Damage

What is Imprelis?

Imprelis is a relatively new selective herbicide intended for use by lawn care professionals. It is part of a group of selective herbicides designed to control broadleaf-weeds in turf by interfering with a plants normal hormonal balance.

Why would a lawn service or landscaper use Imprelis?

Imprelis was developed and marketed to provide control of several, difficult to control turf weeds, such as ground ivy and wild violet. It works by both direct uptake through the foliage as well as root uptake and provides good residual control.

What kind of injury to landscape trees has been observed following Imprelis application?

Homeowners, lawn service operators and others have observed browning of shoots and needles and twisting and stunting of shoots, especially near tops of trees. Symptoms are usually most severe on current year (outermost or topmost) grown. Unlike most conifer insect and disease problems, Imprelis damage occurs rapidly  usually within two to three weeks of application. The most commonly affected trees are Norway spruce, Colarado blue spruce and eastern white pine. Firs and yews may also be affected.

If I see damage, did my applicator do something wrong?

Not necessarily. After tree damage reports began to come in, the product manufacturer issued a statement on June 17, 2011 cautioning applicators do not apply Imprelis where Norway spruce or white pine are present on, or in close proximity to, the property to be treated. However, there was no specific caution on the original product label regarding the susceptibility of pines, spruce or other conifers to Imprelis.

Why does the type of injury vary so much?

Suspected Imprelis-related injury is most severe in current-years growth, therefore young trees and the tops of older trees, which have a relatively high proportion of new growth, show the greatest degree of injury. Trees in landscape beds or other buffers typically show less damage than trees that are completely surrounded by turf.

Credit to Michigan State University Extension
Bert Cregg, Ph.D., Michigan State University, Departments of Horticulture and Forestry
Kevin Frank, Ph.D., Michigan State University, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Articles on Imprelis Damage on Trees

New Herbicide Suspected in Tree Deaths

DuPont Catches Flak Over Imprelis Weed-Killer

EPA to Study Whether Imprelis Lawn Weed-Killer Hurts Trees

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