Escallonia disease

Brian2011 · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 8:04 am Post subject: Escallonia disease

Hi There...This is my first post yay! Very Happy

...I was recommended to contact this site by a couple of avid gardners. I'm a biologist with Teagasc Horticultural research in Kinsealy, Dublin and I'm currently working on a disease affecting Escallonia species in Ireland. I was wondering if anyone here has had a leaf spot disease on their Escallonia and if they could send me a pic or even better, send me a couple of leaf samples in the post? It would greatly help in solving a growing problem.
My Contact Details are:
Brian McGuinness
Plant Pathology
Teagasc
Kinsealy Horticultural Research Centre
Malahide Road
Dublin 17
018459017
p.s. I've cleared this request with admin!

Sive · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:56 am Post subject:

Hi Brian, yes, we have had this problem with a new escallonia hedge for the last couple of years. I will send you samples..... if I can find appropriate leaves (!)....one of the problems is that the escallonias progressively lose their leaves, so the hedge is looking quite bare at the moment.

Brian2011 · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:26 am Post subject: Thx

Thanks Sive, Much appreciated, I'll let you know what we find on any of the leaves you send. The problem seems to have been exaggerated in the last few years because of the increased wetness which enhances the fungal disease spread. Some plants do recover...The disease over-winters on dead leaves under the bush so you could get rid of them to try break its lifecycle.

Sive · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:47 am Post subject:

Yes, our plants recover very well and put out lots of strong growth each season, and we had high hopes that the lovely dry summer of 2010 would break the cycle, but eventually the spots started to appear yet again, and now I am looking at a nearly bare hedge. We're not too worried as we are growing it as a wind-break around our vegetable garden, and even a bare hedge will ease the force of the wind. However I am thinking of interplanting some other shrubs which can take over if this escallonia disease continues..... all too bad, as I like the plants and I presume the flowers are good for bees.....

Sive · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:05 pm Post subject:

Samples will be posted by lunchtime...you should have them on Mon/Tues.

Brian2011 · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 1:42 pm Post subject: Samples Recvd!

Hey Sive,

I got the samples today in the post.....they're great...exactly what I was after! Thanks again.

Sive · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:39 pm Post subject:

You're welcome. I hope they help your work.

bunkadoo · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 21 Feb 2011 Posts: 3

hi my nearly 6ft escallonia is a victim of this terrible disease. do you still need samples? im afraid we are going to have to replace it which is a shame cause where am i going to get a plant that will grow to 6ft quickly? Sad

Brian2011 · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:23 pm Post subject:

bunkadoo · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 21 Feb 2011 Posts: 3

no bother at all. what ideally do you want. ill cut whatever you need. im no gardener by any means so god only knows what ill send you !! Wink

Brian2011 · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:03 pm Post subject:

Leaves showing any spotting symptoms would be ideal. The disease I'm interested in shows itself as small greyish spots 2-4mm in size with a dark border. Thanks again.

bunkadoo · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 21 Feb 2011 Posts: 3

posted this evening. hope they are of some use to you. there is an estate full of them here if you need any more!

michael brenock · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject:

This disease on escallonia is new. it was not here in ted Ryans time. Escallonia, all species were evergreen and i mean ever green. This disease is progressive and is becoming more widespread. While I have no doubt you will identify it and get a control for it that is not the answer we as gardeners are looking. A shrub like escallonia is no use if it has to be sprayed on an ongoing basis. Brian best wishes in the job as plant pathologist in Kinsealy.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:17 pm Post subject:

I went out to investigate my Escallonia this afternoon, and see if any of the leaves has disease, but to my horror, my evergreen escallonia is completely bare, not one single leaf to be seen.

It has been in the garden for 13 years and has always had leaves winter and summer, so I got a shock to see it looking like a skeleton. Is it dead or is there any hope at all? Could it be a casualty of the winter weather, the garden was under snow and ice for almist 6 weeks, with temperatures dipping to -22 degrees one night.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Maeve

michael brenock · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:37 pm Post subject:

the disease on the escallonias is around for the past few years and getting worse, escallonia is quite frost hardy and evergreen. I heard on a radio programme this afternoon a garden "expert" saying the damage was caused by frost especially if it was an old plant, just wonder what planet he was living on for the past few years. There is no cure for it at present and unlikely to be. Nobody is going to spray hedges on an ongoing basis.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)