Look closely at the browning branches. They could have been damaged in shipment. Especially where they attach to the main leader.

If you compromised the roots it would have effected the whole plant not 2 branches.

Nix to the root stimulator. Jump starting a new planting that is already in stress is not a good idea.

Watch it closely for anymore deterioration. Don't over water.

Save your receipt.

Dave

which doug fir.. some are z5 appropriate.. some arent ...

otherwise.. shipping or planting stresses... the key to the future is in the buds ... how do they look??

ken

Interior forms are good to at least zone 3....Edmonton, Alberta

{{gwi:828980}}

i was rushed yesterday ...

the dougs from the west side of the rockies are z7 plants ...

those from the east side are z5 plants ...

i cant recall the name differences ...

one will not survive in your zone..

i wouldnt use root stimulator.. snake oil to me.. but i doubt it had any effect on what you are seeing...

FF is a warm zone.. you didnt have any frost/freeze since you planted it???? .. perhaps not hardened off ??? .. though one would wonder how fast an injured conifer needle could turn brown ... especially in fall ...

any chance at a pic????

did you put the seller on notice??? .. or ask them what they might think its all about?????

ken

How many photos of Douglas Fir growing in zone 3 do I have to post before Ken believes it? These ones are in Jasper, Alberta.

{{gwi:828981}}

Douglas firs at Arboretum mustila, zone 4? planted in 1902.

Marko

Loads of Douglas Fir near Santa Fe, elevation 7000 up to 12,000 plus feet, USDA zones 5/6, and definitely not east of the Rockies.

I think that statement should have been 'east of the Cascades'.

+oM

Yep:

Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. menziesii (Coast Douglas-fir; zones 7-9) west of the Cascades & Sierra Nevada

Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. glauca (Interior / Rocky Mts Douglas-fir; zones 3-7) east of the Cascades & Sierra Nevada.

Resin

What's the hottest zone these trees grow at? Have seen them at Big Bend National Park from ~ 6,600 ft to 7,200 ft.

Big Bend NP is mapped as zone 8, but at that altitude you'll need to drop a zone number, so it'll be zone 7 where the Douglas-firs are growing.

Resin

During the outbreak of cold in the SW in January 2011, the ranger at Big Bend told me it had gone down to below 0F on the mountain - even the base station had been 2F which is quite low for them. I was there about a week afterwards. Most notably, the gorgeous Arbutus xalapensis were completely undamaged. Those have to be some of the most beautiful trees native to anywhere in the US, although secondary to their giant Pacific breathren (A. menziesii), of course. (Sorry, yes, I rank broadleaved evergreens as the most beautiful large plants. Conifers I rank second, at least. Deciduous trees 3rd.)
That's an amazing park if you have a chance to visit.