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Boxwood leaves #868663

Asked May 16, 2024, 8:24 AM EDT

The leaves on some of our boxwood plants are discolored. We are hoping it is not boxwood blight. Can you give a diagnosis of the problem?

Washtenaw County Michigan

Expert Response

Hello Gary

This could be boxwood leafminer, volutella blight and some winter damage. Boxwood blight typically has discolored stems and the leaves quickly fall off leaving bare stems. Your leaves seem to be still on the stem, and your stems look green. The few “cupped” leaves you see are from boxwood psyllid insects.

You can look at the bottoms of the leaves, pick some open to see if their are tiny larvae inside(these are leafminer larvae). If the bottoms of leaves appear rusty or pinkish, these are volutella fungi. If the bottoms of leaves look frosty or white, this is likely boxwood blight. (See pictures in bulletins below)

Here are some good bulletins that discuss each condition and how to manage it:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/preventing-the-spread-of-boxwood-blight-in-landscapes

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/browning-of-boxwood-is-it-boxwood-blight

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/boxwood_insect_pests

You can place several leaves on a plain smooth paper (not paper towel because the texture confuses camera focus), some leaves face up, some face down include some stems if any of the stems show discoloration. 
 Also, take 1-2 pictures from farther back so the whole shrub can be seen for any particular patterning. Email these pictures and your original picture to MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic lab for their opinion. Evaluation by email is free— <personal data hidden> 

Thank you for your question! Replied May 16, 2024, 9:50 AM EDT

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