It doesn't look like any pictures of leaf spot. And the weather has been very hot and dry the last 3 weeks. Here's another photo. My guess is it's under watering.

Thanks, they are new trees, planted about 3 months ago. I'm in south Texas and the weather has been very hot with no rain for last 3 weeks but I've been watering them twice a week.

They may just need more. What you are seeing is transplant shock :-)

All the above is overkill for what is patently obvious as just transplant shock. A single hole - which could be caused by any of a number of issues - is hardly an indicator of pending shot hole, especially in the heat and dryness of south Texas!!

In this case, completely necessary.

If you agree why did you advocate Mancozeb, which is in the process of being withdrawn in Europe for safety reasons? And that is for valuable agricultural crops. To use it on a very slightly less than perfect ornamental cherry laurel would indeed be overkill. Literally.

”The European Food Safety Authority has classified (Mancozeb) as both an endocrine disruptor and harmful to reproduction. Also on its list of issues is a high risk to birds and mammals, non-target arthropods and soil macro-organisms.” https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/crop-management/disease-management/mancozeb-why-the-potato-industry-must-prepare-for-its-loss

Oh gee......I guess we have to go through the "delete the dumb comments" routine yet again and are now left with another choppy, disjointed thread. Some people just do not get it!!

btw, "Houzz is not at it again".......it is the member themselves causing unrelenting confusion and disorder.

Since there is NO shot hole or other leaf fungus involved, why even bring it up at all? Unless a whomping great infection, shot hole is rarely ever treated anyway. And mancozeb is at the bottom of the list of recommended treatments.

Remotely possible......very remotely. It is also remotely possible that I could contract leukemia. But no physician is going to treat me for a disease I don't have and unlikely to get!!

Jordan, if you want to be taken seriously - and that is asking a lot from us with your history - don't try to dazzle us with BS. It is not working. If you have something valid to respond with, do so briefly and succinctly and stay on point !

Jeff, I’m in Texas, too, and agree with gardengal. Transplant shock.

This summer has been so brutal for us, I have the hardiest of plants struggling like they never have before. I’m having to water much more than normal, for even my most established plants (such as my Vitex … have never had to water them once during a normal summer).

I would not spray anything possibly harmful on my plants in this scorching heat and sun, except as a last resort with nothing left to lose.

These may always struggle in your soil. I’m in D/FW, on the border of acidic and alkaline.

From https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=7469

”You will note that the preferred soils are deep, loamy, well-drained soils. Most of the soils in Central Texas are alkaline clay. The soils east of us have more sand and are more acidic. The biggest problem could easily be the drainage or the lack thereof, which might have been helped by mixing the soil in which the cherry laurel was planted with some compost. The issue of chlorosis mentioned in the Growing Conditions above can also be blamed on drainage. Please see this previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer on the problems caused by our soils.

We suspect that these native plants are getting more attention than they need. Watering too much can have invited the fungus, as well as compacting the soil so that the nutrients in the soil were not available to the rootlets. Mulching the root area will help protect from heat and cold, and the mulch will decompose to add more compost to the soil. When you water, push the hose down in the soil and let it dribble slowly until water comes to the surface. Don't water by sprinkler-the water on the bark and leaves can invite disease. We may not have the ideal soils for these plants, so if they don't pull out, we suggest researching replacements in our Native Plant Database, checking to make sure they are native to this area and tolerant of our soils.”

.

It might be worth looking at replacements.

My spraying comment was in reference to posts that are no longer here.

NO fungus! Just transplant shock and underwatering.

‘PlantWiz‘ appears just as as ’Jordan’ disappears. I would suggest ignoring.

Of course you can!! Anyone with a modicum of horticultural experience can distinguish between a fungal leaf spot and transplant shock, which was the question. They share no symptoms in common.

And yet another new account, Jordan?? How long will this one last?

Yep. Reset 31 minutes ago.

GG, he really isn’t worth your or anyone else’s time responding. Leave him to stew in his own juice.