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Fungus on boxwood shrubs8/17/2023 ![]() To confirm a diagnosis, it is always best to send samples to a diagnostic laboratory. Similar symptoms can also occur from Phytophthora, Verticillium, or nematode infections. Leaf bronzing and straw-colored branches can also be caused by winter injury and by another fungal pathogen called Volutella. This disease can be confused with several common boxwood problems. If you are not sure or if you suspect your boxwood is suffering from box blight, don’t panic yet! We at Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic are here to help. Avoid disturbing/ shaking boxwood branches when dew or excess moisture is present (for example early morning) to avoid dispersal of the seeds of the pathogen (spores). It's a good idea to inspect plants in the days following high risk of boxwood blight (4-7 days). Then explore the graph and the table tabs for the results and learn the risk of infection and symptom development. On the input tab, type a zip code, the search will display a list or you can choose the graphical representation of the weather stations nearby to that zip code. Click on the input to learn more about this disease, see photos of the symptoms, and a succinct explanation of how to use and interpret the results the graph and table tabs. This tool has four tabs: intro, inputs, graph, and table. Nursery growers, landscape professionals, and gardeners can take advantage of a website and its smartphone application version, both designed to monitor the risk of Boxwood blight at This disease may appear at different dates depending on the location. Symptom and pathogen development are influenced by temperatures and available humidity (rain, dew, etc.). The fungus can be spread by water, animals, or human activities such as pruning. This pathogen can complete its life cycle in about a week under warm and humid weather conditions, and high moisture is required for infection. Several Buxus species can be affected, but English and common boxwood are highly susceptible to this disease. Infections can be severe in young plants and can kill seedlings. ![]() Symptoms start with dark or light brown leaf spots, bronze or straw-colored foliage, sudden defoliation, and black streaks on affected branches. ( )īoxwood blight symptoms include foliar symptoms, stem cankers, and defoliation. Input tab explains how to use the model and has boxwood blight symptom photos. states (including Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Oregon), with the most recent report in the Midwest occurred on Christmas wreaths in Indiana (read more at this Clemson article). The pathogen has been confirmed in at least 15 U.S. Boxwood blight is caused by the fungus Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum that was first described in 2002, were severe outbreaks were reported in New Zealand and Europe. However, Boxwood blight, a disease that was first found on the east coast of the US in 2011, continues to be a problem to be on the look for in the landscape. We at Iowa Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic see few foliar diseases of boxwood, but most commonly we receive photos and samples with symptoms of winter injury. Although boxwoods ( Buxus sp.) are not native to the U.S., their versatility has made them one of the most popular shrubs for edging, hedges, and topiaries in classic and modern landscapes. ![]()
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