What is Boxwood Blight and what can you do about it?
Boxwood Blight is a fungal disease that results in defoliation and plant dieback, diminishing the beauty of your landscape. American, English, and Korean boxwoods are all susceptible, though the disease is particularly devastating to American boxwoods.
Symptoms
What to look for:
- Dark leaf spots that grow to form brown blotches
- Development of white spores in humidity on the underside of infected leaves
- Defoliation beginning on lower branches and then moving upwards
- Black streaks, or cankers, developing on green stems
Prevention
The best way to prevent boxwood blight is to purchase from reputable nurseries and therefore avoid introducing the disease into your landscape. If you do have problems with boxwood blight, the best ways to deal with it include:
- Avoid shearing boxwoods when they are wet
- Disinfect tools after shearing an infected plant to reduce the chance of spreading the disease
- Collect debris that has been pruned from infected plants and dispose of it in municipal waste or by burying them–do not compose the debris, as the fungus can survive in the soil for up to five years
- Fungicides can protect plants and prevent boxwood blight but do not cure already infected plants
Worried about boxwood blight?
We’re happy to handle all your boxwood needs to ensure your plants stay healthy!
Give us a call today at 203-622-6070, send us an email at info@towncountrylandscape.com, or fill out our contact form here to get the process started.
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