Science News reports on a global shrubbery threat from Boxwood blight, caused by a Cylindrocladium fungus which was...
...unknown to science before 2000 but has now spread through Europe and New Zealand. In October, U.S. authorities confirmed that the blight had jumped continents, with infections confirmed in North Carolina and Connecticut. By mid-January, with growers and pathologists on alert, the fungus had turned up in at least five more states — Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Oregon — and British Columbia.
The blight starts with spots on leaves and black streaks on twigs. Within a few weeks, a plump shrub can turn into a clump of bare sticks.
I saw a cloud pruned box hedge like the one pictured quite recently. Personally I wouldn't have the patience and I'd probably treat a bit of blight as an opportunity to grow something easier. Like a fence.
...unknown to science before 2000 but has now spread through Europe and New Zealand. In October, U.S. authorities confirmed that the blight had jumped continents, with infections confirmed in North Carolina and Connecticut. By mid-January, with growers and pathologists on alert, the fungus had turned up in at least five more states — Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Oregon — and British Columbia.
The blight starts with spots on leaves and black streaks on twigs. Within a few weeks, a plump shrub can turn into a clump of bare sticks.
I saw a cloud pruned box hedge like the one pictured quite recently. Personally I wouldn't have the patience and I'd probably treat a bit of blight as an opportunity to grow something easier. Like a fence.
2 comments:
There's one like that but bigger on the outskirts of Sherborne on the A30 as come in from the east. Rather him than me, I mutter as I drive by.
DD - yes, too much work and I'm not even sure I like the effect.
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