Hi everyone. I am new to this so I hope someone can help me. I live on the eastern edge of Atlanta where it has been very hot. For 4 years we have had a conical shaped shrub on each corner of the front of our house. They are slow growing but have always been healthy and the leaves resemble a boxwood. In the past 5 days a few branches have died and the leaves turned brown. When I pulled the branches back and looked down in to the base, there are a lot of white spots on all the limbs that are dying. I rubbed one and nothing moved so I don't think it is pest related. The other one is still as healthy as it can be. Does anyone know what this problem may be and how to treat it? Tommy
Hi Tommy, I live in climate VERY different from yours, but I hope I can help anyway. The white spots are ONLY seen on the base of the branches that have died? And since nothing happened when you rubbed your finger across them it isn't mealy bugs, right? Do you overhead water? If so, what time (day or night?). What color are the leaves that have died (white, brown or black?). Do you see any sap oozing from places on the branches that show damage? This is fun, I hope someone can help you out on this!!!
I don't water theis sgrub often because we have had sufficient rain. When I do water I generally water at the base area. Leaves are brown on the worse limbs. Others are starting to turn yellow. I haven't seen any sap. Any ideas?
Hi again! I looked around and found a source for information on Boxwoods and their diseases. I realize it may or may not be an actual boxwood, but this might help. I was thinking as I read this page that with the "Georgia clay" that we hear about all the time, that your drainage may be poor and the heavy soil may have invited diseases. Also it says that they are very shallow rooted, so if it isn't mulched already with some good organic mulch, that might help to protect the plant if it isn't infected, just hurtin' for some good soil and some protection against problems with root damage, etc. This seemed like a very good source of information for similar shrubs. Hope it helps! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/450/450-614/450-614.html