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Ask The Yard Doctor California Gardening

wax leaf privet leaves turning half brown

4 years ago

I have a hedge of wax leaf privets (ligustrum). Some of the plants aren't doing so well -- the leaves are turning brown, but not the whole leaf, only about half. They have been getting enough water. What causes this? (I live in So. Calif)

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
Is this damage restricted to a single area? And could you post a photo taken a more of distance that shows the whole hedge?

To be honest, I'm not sure the brown leaf portions are all that you are dealing with. From what is visible, the entire planting looks stressed and unthrifty. You shouldn't see any signs of twigs or stems with a healthy wax leaf privet....unless pruned up into a tree form. They are typically very dense. And the coloring is a bit anemic as well.

When you say they receive "enough water", what do you mean? How much and how often?
cavernap
Original Author
4 years ago
Hi gardengal,

There are three plants affected in the hedge (of about 35 plants total). Several of the other plants had problems with fungus (Chodrostereum and Phytophthora) so we have been treating the hedge with RootShield Plus. However, the other plants that had problems had yellowing leaves. This seems different, with the distinct brown part. The hedge is on a drip system and gets watered once a week when it is dry. During the winter we get some additional rain, but the rest of the hedge seems healthy. I can send pictures tomorrow.
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3 leaves on one plant.. or the last three plants... please.. put away the chemicals UNLESS you ID a problem which chemicals can help ... 'winging it' is not proper ... a dying leaf my have a fungus.. but i doubt that the fungus was the cause of the dying leave.. meaning the chemical use was not necessary ... please put away the plant food ... it is just not necessary on trees and shrubs .... my best spectulation is the you hyper-fertilized them into growing so much green that the root structure can not support all that green ... down here in the adrian area ... we have been in severe drought for 6 weeks.... one tenth inch of rain ... if you have not been watering properly... you would have brown leaves... if you didnt burn the roots with fert'ing on a drought-stressed plant.. and planting them so close together also may have increased the water stress ... add to drought.. the 2 weeks near 100 degrees.. the three hail storms.. and the two late frosts.. and who will really knows why those plants are stressed ... insure proper watering by digging a small hole and see if you are actually getting water to the root zone... but by the end of the second year.. privet should be free-range.. and need no further TLC from you .... we kill more stuff with too much love, rather than benign neglect ... you can not rely on a clock or wing it.. you have to determine if water is getting through the soil to the root zone ... good luck ken
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Not a viral problem. Much more likely a shortage of water plus, as has been said, it's late season. As for the shortage of water, several things can contribute: 1. Your plants haven't yet developed the extensive root system they need. 2. Shortage of applied water, either rainfall or supplemental -- from a hose. 3. A heat wave during which the roots couldn't keep up with the top's needs. Perhaps you heard the saying about perennials: The 1st year they sleep; the 2nd, they creep; the 3rd, they leap. So, overall, be certain the original root ball is mnoderately moist. Then, be patient. It takes most plants 2 years to root in well, so that they're able to support vigorous top growth according to the kind of plant at hand.
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a pic would be helpfull. what type of potting soil did you use ? is it in full sun ? if the plant is in full sun and growing fast,, it needs more nutrients. if you used a potting soil that doesnt really have enough, then its a problem. i would also check moisture. put your finger down an inch or 2 in the soil. it should be damp, but not wet... i add mulch to the top of my containers, just like i do to my plants in-ground. - compost is even better! it keeps the soil damp, but not wet, and you dont have to water as often starfruit like to dry out between waterings. (maybe the container soil is holding too much water, or, you are watering too often ?) the brown tips usually means lack of water OR, over-watering , white could mean lack of nitrogen, but its hard to tell without a pic. if its growing fast, it needs nitrogen. i would use worm tea, or compost tea, or maybe a fish fertilizer. it will take a few days for organic fertilizers to be taken up by the roots
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Comments (7)
There are a couple affected leaves not shown in the picture, but it isn't all over the tree. It's mostly (but not completely) on the sunnier but less windy side. I'm pretty sure our landscaper doesn't use lawn spray. Riding mower exhaust is a possibility. Another tree in a slightly shadier spot has a couple similar brown patches that are much smaller but is otherwise fine. The stake is used to mark the tree and attach a tubex tree tube to it. Hardening off isn't an issue...this tree was never inside. It was moved from another garden webber's yard to a pot on the deck to my Mom's place last Fall. Should I be worried it is doing this before July has even hit? Or chalk it up to the inevitable growing pains of a newly transplanted tree? I take it the consensus is to dump a lot of water on it?
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cavernap
Original Author
4 years ago
Here are some more photos of the hedge. You can see the three badly affected plants (I cut away a lot of the branches, some were dead, and some had so few leaves) and some of the rest of the hedge. When I was taking photos of the hedge I had a closer look at the healthy plants. I noticed a few brown spots on those as well.

The plants on the left are only a couple of years old, so they are not as developed. The plants on the right are about 15 years old.

Brown spots on healthy plants.
Daniel Manrique
3 years ago
What was the resolution?

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