Help! Shrub leaves browning - Ask Extension
We have a golden euonymous in our yard that is several years old from the previous owners of the home. It is in a position to get full sun as well. In...
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Help! Shrub leaves browning #790511
Asked May 12, 2022, 5:21 PM EDT
We have a golden euonymous in our yard that is several years old from the previous owners of the home. It is in a position to get full sun as well. In the last two weeks, we've noticed noticeable browning of many leaves. This browning occurred after a landscaper filled in a low spot near the bush and accidentally dumped soil over the top of the bush. I'm not sure if the two are linked. I am including a photo of the leaves at this time. Any ideas on the reason or solutions to save the plant would be appreciated!
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
Hello there. I don't think that the dumping of dirt on the plant was the cause of your plant's issue. It seems to be displaying symptoms of a fungal disease. The round spots on the leaves that expand causing death of the tissue are a giveaway. So are the lesions on the stems. You need to cut all such damage out of the plant rake up all the debris and destroy it or bag it and put it in the trash. Do not put in a compost pile.
The best I can tell from the photos and checking the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook seems to suggest Anthracnose as the culprit. The one thing that may indicate a specific issue with this particular disease is that the cultural controls for this disease say that shade would help. You may want to think about planting something nearby that will help here. Or there may have been another plant there with the previous owners and it had to be removed for some reason and now the problem with this shrub happens. Less susceptible cultivars are those without the golden color unfortunately.
Cultural control
Monterey Liqui-Cop at 3 Tbsp/gal water
I hope this information helps you.
The best I can tell from the photos and checking the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook seems to suggest Anthracnose as the culprit. The one thing that may indicate a specific issue with this particular disease is that the cultural controls for this disease say that shade would help. You may want to think about planting something nearby that will help here. Or there may have been another plant there with the previous owners and it had to be removed for some reason and now the problem with this shrub happens. Less susceptible cultivars are those without the golden color unfortunately.
Cultural control
- Grow less susceptible cultivars.
- Remove fallen leaves and other plant debris around and under the plant.
- Do not overwater and irrigate only when leaves can dry quickly. Water on the leaves for long periods of time mean more time for the disease to invade healthy plant tissues.
- Remove and destroy heavily infected plant parts. (This reduces the disease load by removing spores that are growing on the diseased materials) Sanitation is important.
- Improve air circulation with increased plant spacing. This helps the leaves dry out giving disease spores less time to invade healthy tissue.
- Grow under high shade intensities, rather than full sun or light shade.
Monterey Liqui-Cop at 3 Tbsp/gal water
I hope this information helps you.
