Help. We have a hedge in our yard, shrubs, that have been under attack. A weird moss like type weed is attacking the base, suffocating the plant, killing the roots, and eventually the leaves don't get any water, shrivel up, die, and the whole bush ends up dying. It looks like new coral attacking a plant. We have asked nurseries, true-green, and others, and no one has an answer. They say that it's like ivy without the leaves, or one group said spanish moss (in New Jersey - laugh). We have lost 3 of the 10 bushes. Before this year, they have been full and beautiful. Each one has it attacking its trunk and roots, and moves up the branches. I'm attaching photos of a pulled out dead piece as well as the remaining hedges. The leaves on some seem very healthy, and it's just a matter of time. the leaves start yellowing, wilting, then dead. I've been researching root rot, vascular diseases, etc... and nothing seems to show this intrusive weed-like, moss-like, root-like culprit that is squeezing the life out of this plant. (I wish that I could tell you the exact type of shrub, but it escapes me. I included a close up of the leaves to describe) Question is - What is it and how do I kill it and save the shrubs?