Knowledgebase
Should I be concerned about Shot hole disease on my new skip laurels? And what is that on my stems? #790121
Asked May 10, 2022, 5:53 PM EDT
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi Charles!
No need to worry about the shot hole. The garden center is right - most wholesalers carry laurels with shot hole. Fortunately, shot hole is very common on cherry laurels - it's largely cosmetic and no chemical controls are recommended. Prune out any symptomatic foliage, including the yellowing leaves and dispose of in the regular trash. Rake up any fallen leaves - you will also want to do this in fall, as it helps to reduce overwintering pathogens. New growth will soon cover any bare areas.
More about shot hole and how to maintain healthy laurel plants can be found here https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/01/07/qa-whats-wrong-with-my-cherry-laurel-shrubs/.
As for the fuzzy material - we aren't able to identify this based on the photos. Did you site the shrub within proximity of an outdoor dryer vent? It's possible that the rain caused some lint to stick to the stems. You can try to spray it off with a hose. If it persists, monitor and send us some additional photos.
Jamie