Yes, it's going to be gaunt when those fall off. Check conditions at the root, something there probably needs to be addressed - commonly too many leaves fall off when there is a moisture-related problem, but infertility can also cause a plant to go bare except at the tips.

I just planted it about a month ago, could it be adjusting? Spread the roots out as best as I could, typical container roots needed help, but I was careful.

This definitely looks like planting shock to me from the roots trying to pump water and until they re-settle they will throw off the older needles. If planted properly and with adequate water, it should replace those neeldes in time.

It may also brown and shed more needles if it was recently planted because it will stress again in the first heatwave in your southern hot humid location.

But deodaras are very resilient conifers for me in hot locations if they don't get too shocked on the transplant.

mark

should not the question be .. .how long does it hold its old needles...

and then calculating how transplant shocked.. speeded that ...

and.. since you just planted it .. may we presume you have no idea of what kind of winter it went thru ... or are you holding back facts???

was it potted or ball and burlap???

ken

It was potted and came from TX. I don't think winter would be a problem for it. The new growth looks to be ok for now. It looked great when I bought it and just now started dropping the old needles so it must be shock or something I did when planting it.

Yes, it could be from root damage at planting. Keep it mulched and watered, maybe give it some shade the first summer. The whole problem is that millions of root-bound plants are being put on the market as though it did not matter at all, when these are trees and shrubs end consumers are forced to attack the roots at planting time or there may be failures later. In the case of trees this can actually be dangerous, when taller specimens go over because their main roots are involved in circling around the base of the trunk instead of reaching out to provide anchorage for their entire length.