I've had this happen to me a few times over the years. I have never been successful saving the plant until recently. I'm curious as to the cause. I know it is said to be caused by a bacterial infection but I wonder if any real research has been done on it. When I moved a few of my plants from NY to Florida, one Catt was showing signs before the move. I cut off the infected bulbs and treated, but then I neglected most of my plants because there was too much going on. The infection slowed but each new lead would show signs and I'd cut it off. After settling down at a new house, I worked on the plant and wound up dividing it into three sections. I needed to cut so much off it literally came apart. I potted each section of about 3 bulbs each and stuck the plants under a tree, away from my other orchids and forgot them. Yesterday, I looked at them. They were dehydrated (no rain for over a month), they hadn't been fertilized in a year, but I noticed each bulb was forming new leads and roots. The plants were buried in oak leaves but appeared healthy. I'm still not trusting what I saw, am keeping them away from my other plants but all three pots appear recovered. So, I'm now wondering if - dehydration, oak leaves (change in pH) or just luck, seemed to work. If these survive, it will be the first for me. I'm thinking it might not be bacterial or even fungal. I'm leaning toward pH because I have always watered with RO but these plants only got rain. Any thoughts from those who have experienced what the OP is dealing with and any tips about what might 'really' cause it. Jane

You'll find a pretty solution, Diane! Other shrubs that do well in my awful roots are the prickly-leaf kind of Osmanthus and pyracantha (for the berries!). In a sunny spot I have a lovely blue Vitex that looks like a dwarf but is a happy camper otherwise. Your roots and conditions may be different than mine, of course, but I thought I'd tell you what still grows well here. They just look smaller; I'm not counting what grows poorly and looks bad that I've tried. Oh, I have a camellia that keeps coming up from its roots, too! I actually don't want it there, lol. That's an old passaround variety, so every camellia won't work, I wouldn't think. Campanula, don't worry about woods and ramblers if they grow lots of weeds and shrubby stuff already! I have some ramblers that have swallowed my wood's edge because I originally put them there in a 'holding garden' when I first moved in. 'Holding garden of ramblers' -- right! Live and learn :) Felicite et Perpetue is lovely as a 20' monster in a tree, though :D. I get to smell that scent as I mow the meadowy part that goes up to the edge (she's blooming now). She beats out the wild multiflora, and that's saying something! Beside her are Blush Rambler and Evangeline. Cl Cecile Brunner lost out to those three ;) Shade and competition from other ramblers is the only real problem in my woods (well, and weedy shrubs). As things get bigger, the shade produced can be deadly to others, so imagine whole walls of roses and you'll be OK, I think.

I have black locusts and love them. Beautiful in flower in the spring, carpeting the ground with delicate petals like cherry blossoms. Majestic trunks, gothic branching way up in the sky, autumn leaves that need no raking. What other tree has such massive, stately trunks without hogging either sun or water below? When they do fall, they are a gift of the best burning wood (or posts, even in water!). The big pieces of bark makes great pavers for paths. i love these trees so much I even love the suckers and seedlings. The seedlings lift out so surgically - so satisfying to pull! The suckers are occasionally tough, I admit, but those just get clipped. Each time I know it's a tempting option to let it grow, and take comfort that there will be more.

I have been re-planting my orchard, pulling out old trees and planting new ones. I recently removed a pear that was about 8 feet away from a 4' tall fig tree I had planted two years ago. There were multiple, large fig roots mixed in with those of the pear. It is clear to me that this small fig still had highly invasive roots, so be careful.