cherry laurel ? disease - Ask Extension
Can you please let me know what I should do for our Cherry Laurel bushes? There are lots of holes in the leaves AND an insect has white strands throug...
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cherry laurel ? disease #705248
Asked July 25, 2020, 3:50 PM EDT
Can you please let me know what I should do for our Cherry Laurel bushes? There are lots of holes in the leaves AND an insect has white strands throughout the branches. I was able to get a picture of a spider between two of the bushes. Two pictures are attached.Do we have 2 separate problems or one? Thanks for your help.
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
The holes in the cherrylaurel leaves are being caused by a disease called Cherry Shot Hole, an ailment they share with their relatives, flowering cherry trees: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/cherry-shot-hole-flowering-cherries
No sprays are helpful at this time, though if damage is extensive you can try a protective regiment of fungicide sprays starting early next spring. (Around the time the flowering cherry leaves are just starting to emerge; on early-blooming cherries this happens after bloom, and on later-blooming cherries this happens prior to bloom.) Look for a registered fungicide that lists "shot hole" on the label and follow its instructions regarding repeat applications, as they will likely be needed throughout that summer. Otherwise, avoiding getting the foliage wet with sprinklers and promoting good air circulation within the plants by not shearing the foliage will help minimize the disease risk. Over time, and predominantly in spring, the cherrylaurels will shed the damaged leaves; they typically turn bright yellow before falling.
Many spider species spin webs within shrub foliage as they provide good anchoring sites to trap insect prey. They do not cause plant damage and their presence isn't indicative of a pest problem.
Miri
No sprays are helpful at this time, though if damage is extensive you can try a protective regiment of fungicide sprays starting early next spring. (Around the time the flowering cherry leaves are just starting to emerge; on early-blooming cherries this happens after bloom, and on later-blooming cherries this happens prior to bloom.) Look for a registered fungicide that lists "shot hole" on the label and follow its instructions regarding repeat applications, as they will likely be needed throughout that summer. Otherwise, avoiding getting the foliage wet with sprinklers and promoting good air circulation within the plants by not shearing the foliage will help minimize the disease risk. Over time, and predominantly in spring, the cherrylaurels will shed the damaged leaves; they typically turn bright yellow before falling.
Many spider species spin webs within shrub foliage as they provide good anchoring sites to trap insect prey. They do not cause plant damage and their presence isn't indicative of a pest problem.
Miri
