skip to main content

Ask The Yard Doctor Shrubs Hostas

What is wrong with this Pieris?

4 years ago

And can a Hosta catch it?

This plant is three years old and established. It was exquisite when it bloomed! Recently! It’s a goner now for sure.

The funny thing is a 40 year old clump of wild blueberry at least 100 yards from the Pieris did the same thing about two months ago, just turned brown and died. DH has 300 blueberry bushes across the road and had me cut it down and pack it off to the landfill.

i’ve been reading about Phytophthora. Neither of these plants stands in water. My soil drains well.

Comment (1)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
Phytophthora does not need standing water....it only needs sufficient levels of groundwater to facilitate movement and soil that stays wet enough to allow time to infect. A few heavy rainfalls can do it.

IMO, that looks like a pretty obvious case of root rot or the effects of phytophthora. Ericaceous plants like pieris, blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons tend to be more sensitive and prone than other shrubs. Hostas can get it but not nearly as prone as some other plant types.
zkathy z7a NC thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Related Discussions
what variety of Pieris?
Q
Comments (4)
Maybe Pieris japonica 'Valley Rose'? Picture near the bottom of the web page. Here is a link that might be useful: Pieris japonica
...See More
Pieris japonica root death
Q
Comments (2)
I bet Rhizo got it. You don't say where you live, whether you checked soil moisture regularly, etc, but I know that if I only watered my container grown plants once a week during summer, they'd all be toast. BTW, the reason you haven't gotten many responses, and didn't get a response earlier, is that your post is in the gallery section (typically reserved for pictures) and probably hasn't gotten many views.
...See More
Pieris - Valley Valentine
Q
Comments (1)
Probably root rot.
...See More
Pieris (Mountain fire) Problem
Q
Comments (1)
You should post this question in the Shrubs forum here, but my gut reaction is that that is way too much water. And newly-planted anything should not be fertilized, so if you are fertilizing when you water, that is not at all good for the plant. Head over to Shrubs, and remember that, with all due respect, most garden center employees don't know jack about plants.
...See More

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Top Cold-Hardy Evergreens for Container Gardens

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

These tough beauties look good year-round and add consistency to container arrangements

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Steps to Creating Your Butterfly Garden

By Debbie Ballentine

Encourage these fanciful winged beauties to visit your garden while helping restore their fragmented habitat

SPRING GARDENING Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

A palette of perfumed plants can transform even the smallest of gardens into a sensory delight

PLANTING IDEAS 9 Beautiful Shady Yards Overflow With Lush Plantings

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Find out how to mix foliage colors and textures to brighten dark areas and create dynamic shade plantings

Sponsored

More Discussions

Are my newly viburnums dead or dying?

3

Can I recover the structure of this tree?

0

Cement or pavers- which is better?

9