Cherry laurel bush browning/dying? - Ask Extension
We have three year old cherry laurel shrubs that have been going strong. They have been getting a good 7 hours of sun (morning) before going into deep...
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Cherry laurel bush browning/dying? #589956
Asked August 17, 2019, 7:38 PM EDT
We have three year old cherry laurel shrubs that have been going strong. They have been getting a good 7 hours of sun (morning) before going into deep shade for the remainder of the day. About a month ago, there was one that began to brown from the bottom branches up towards the top of the bush. There were no signs of mites or borers along the base of the plants and the leaves did not wilt before browning. Does know what might be causing this kind of die-off? Will it spread to the other bushes? Any and all advice will be helpful as I am at a complete loss for next steps.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
We looked at the photos. We see some minor insect feeding and minor cherry shot hole but that is not causing decline. It looks like a type of root issue and/or stress. There is a lot of reflected heat from the brick and Cherry laurels grow best in morning sun and afternoon shade. No plant is exactly the same. One may have a weaker root system than the others.
Also, the shrubs may be planted too deeply
(In soils that drain poorly, dig the planting hole deep enough to accommodate the plant with the top of the root ball level with or slightly above ground level);
looks like there may be too much mulch around the base of the shrubs; there may be too much moisture, or not enough moisture, etc.
Also, we had abnormal rainfall last season. Wet areas did not dry up this spring. If there was poor drainage, you may be dealing with some root loss. Here is some information on these types of problems https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/hgic/HGIC_Pubs/TreesandShrubs...
At this point, remove the mulch from the base of the shrubs. Mulch should be no thicker than several inches and away from the trunk. Check the drainage in the area and make sure the soil drains well. Scratch the branches with your fingernail and look for green tissue. If you see it, the branch is alive. If brown/gray it is dead. Prune dead branches and see if the shrub refoliates next spring. You may have to replace some shrubs. The shrub in the right photo looks dead.
See our blog on how to grow cherry laurels in the landscape https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/01/07/qa-whats-wrong-with-my-cherry-laurel-shrubs/
Marian
Also, the shrubs may be planted too deeply
(In soils that drain poorly, dig the planting hole deep enough to accommodate the plant with the top of the root ball level with or slightly above ground level);
looks like there may be too much mulch around the base of the shrubs; there may be too much moisture, or not enough moisture, etc.
Also, we had abnormal rainfall last season. Wet areas did not dry up this spring. If there was poor drainage, you may be dealing with some root loss. Here is some information on these types of problems https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/hgic/HGIC_Pubs/TreesandShrubs...
At this point, remove the mulch from the base of the shrubs. Mulch should be no thicker than several inches and away from the trunk. Check the drainage in the area and make sure the soil drains well. Scratch the branches with your fingernail and look for green tissue. If you see it, the branch is alive. If brown/gray it is dead. Prune dead branches and see if the shrub refoliates next spring. You may have to replace some shrubs. The shrub in the right photo looks dead.
See our blog on how to grow cherry laurels in the landscape https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/01/07/qa-whats-wrong-with-my-cherry-laurel-shrubs/
Marian
