Is my choisya infected with a fungus or just settling in? - Ask Extension
Hi there, I planted this choisya (Mexican Orange) plant last fall, and it doesn't seem to be doing so well. As you can see, there are both yellowing l...
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Is my choisya infected with a fungus or just settling in? #927819
Asked April 08, 2026, 12:39 PM EDT
Hi there, I planted this choisya (Mexican Orange) plant last fall, and it doesn't seem to be doing so well. As you can see, there are both yellowing leaves (some with spots) and reddish leaves at the top. No blooms. Is it infected with a fungus or is it just settling in to its new spot and first spring in the ground?
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question. The only disease known in the PNW for Mexican Orange is this one: https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/tanoak-notholithocarpus-densiflorus-sudden-oak-death
It does not appear that this disease is what is causing your plant to look so bad. But, with no information about how it was planted, where it was planted, the amount of water and nutrients it has been given, etc., we can't identify what is happening with it. This resource describes its needs: https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/choisya-ternata Judging from the lack of green in the leaves, it is a strong possibility that the plant lacks nitrogen, necessary for green foliage and photosynthesis. I suggest that you get a soil test for both pH and nutrients at the OSU Plant Clinic (https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/shl/testing-services/soil-testing) or A & L Western Agricultural Lab (https://allabswest.wordpress.com/) and ask for their recommendations about soil amendments. I hope they can help. Good luck!
It does not appear that this disease is what is causing your plant to look so bad. But, with no information about how it was planted, where it was planted, the amount of water and nutrients it has been given, etc., we can't identify what is happening with it. This resource describes its needs: https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/choisya-ternata Judging from the lack of green in the leaves, it is a strong possibility that the plant lacks nitrogen, necessary for green foliage and photosynthesis. I suggest that you get a soil test for both pH and nutrients at the OSU Plant Clinic (https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/shl/testing-services/soil-testing) or A & L Western Agricultural Lab (https://allabswest.wordpress.com/) and ask for their recommendations about soil amendments. I hope they can help. Good luck!
