Bayberry illness - Ask Extension
We planted several bayberry bushes in May. Over the course of the past few weeks one started having curling leaves, followed by browning and now appea...
Knowledgebase
Bayberry illness #876893
Asked July 11, 2024, 8:47 PM EDT
We planted several bayberry bushes in May. Over the course of the past few weeks one started having curling leaves, followed by browning and now appears to be dead. Others also have some curled leaves and now browning and dead leaves. We know this is a disease resistant plant but wondering if this is an infection of some sort. Any treatment to prevent the rest from dying?
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
Although we can't determine the exact cause of dieback from the photos, it may be centered around stress and soil moisture levels. Are the plants being regularly monitored for watering needs? (They should only be watered when the soil around five inches deep has become somewhat dry to the touch at that depth.) While Bayberry can be quite tolerant of both drought and temporarily soggy soil, that tolerance only comes with establishment, and young plants that have been in the ground less than two or three years are less forgiving to those extremes. Soil acidity level (pH) and drainage can also impact the plant's tolerance to extremes of soil wetness or drought.
The mulch around the plant in the first photo seems to reach right up to the main stem, which could pose a risk to plant health. (It might not be related to this incidence of dieback, but we wanted to mention it.) Mulch should be pulled back from a plant crown (the point where stems or branches emerge from the root ball) a few inches on all sides so it gets good air circulation and the bark is not kept dark and humid. The stake is also not necessary, so if you replant, they don't need to be used.
For the mostly-green shrubs, trim off the twigs with browned leaves and continue monitoring for watering needs. No other intervention will be effective at this point (fungicide will not manage a disease that can cause this kind of dieback, for example). We can't rule-out contribution from a fungal canker disease like Botryosphaeria, which takes advantage of plants under stress (like from high heat and drought), which is one reason why careful attention to watering for new plants is key to preventing issues that may arise later which won't be treatable. Evergreens don't always wilt in a recognizable way when they are over- or under-watered (wilting can happen with both conditions), so leaf curling can be one way that moisture stress manifests. (To be fair, Bayberry can also have a natural twist, curl, or contortion to healthy leaves, where they don't stay flat.) The shrub that is entirely brown will unfortunately need to be replaced.
Miri
The mulch around the plant in the first photo seems to reach right up to the main stem, which could pose a risk to plant health. (It might not be related to this incidence of dieback, but we wanted to mention it.) Mulch should be pulled back from a plant crown (the point where stems or branches emerge from the root ball) a few inches on all sides so it gets good air circulation and the bark is not kept dark and humid. The stake is also not necessary, so if you replant, they don't need to be used.
For the mostly-green shrubs, trim off the twigs with browned leaves and continue monitoring for watering needs. No other intervention will be effective at this point (fungicide will not manage a disease that can cause this kind of dieback, for example). We can't rule-out contribution from a fungal canker disease like Botryosphaeria, which takes advantage of plants under stress (like from high heat and drought), which is one reason why careful attention to watering for new plants is key to preventing issues that may arise later which won't be treatable. Evergreens don't always wilt in a recognizable way when they are over- or under-watered (wilting can happen with both conditions), so leaf curling can be one way that moisture stress manifests. (To be fair, Bayberry can also have a natural twist, curl, or contortion to healthy leaves, where they don't stay flat.) The shrub that is entirely brown will unfortunately need to be replaced.
Miri
