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What's wrong with my aucuba japonica?

AlisonjayneAlisonjayne Posts: 111
in Problem solving
I have only just noticed these black spots on the leaves, its worrying me as this is part of my new hedge. Are they diseased? is there a cure? I have 12 plants and it is on 3 of them.



Must stop buying more plants, repeat, must stop buying....
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Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    They look very yellow how much sun are they getting?
  • AlisonjayneAlisonjayne Posts: 111
    edited June 2018
    The yellow are the new leaves, it is in shade in the morning and then full sun from about 2pm until 8 when the sun goes down.

    I am watering them daily when it is hot.
    Must stop buying more plants, repeat, must stop buying....
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    The plants are getting too much sun by the sounds of it. They do go very pale and sometimes develop black markings on leaves. I think you need to plant them somewhere with a lot less sun, especially when they are young.
  • AlisonjayneAlisonjayne Posts: 111
    I can't move them unfortunately as it is my hedge!

    I will just have to keep an eye on it.
    Must stop buying more plants, repeat, must stop buying....
  • nultyphilip224nultyphilip224 Posts: 923
    Those black spots may be something very simple,..not a disease,..but when you are watering,..as you mentioned that you water when it is very hot perhaps the spots are just as a result of the odd water droplet causing a burn as the sun shines through?
    glengarry23 - YouTube
  • AlisonjayneAlisonjayne Posts: 111
    edited June 2018
    It could be  but I don't water them until the evening, maybe I didn't make that clear!
    I have googled it but couldn't find anything definitive.
    Must stop buying more plants, repeat, must stop buying....
  • AsarumAsarum Posts: 661
    I’ve just been reading my backlog of gardening magazines and noticed an article in the RHS Garden about leaf blackening in Acuba being an indication of overwatering or sitting in a waterlogged soil over winter.  It suggests improving drainage or relocating. 
    East Anglia
  • WhalehqWhalehq Posts: 14
    Alisonjayne said:
    I have only just noticed these black spots on the leaves, its worrying me as this is part of my new hedge. Are they diseased? is there a cure? I have 12 plants and it is on 3 of them.



    Alison, just wondering if you have any photos of your hedge now? I was out looking for a hedging plant for a shaded area of my garden and saw a few in a garden centre brighter than yours in colour and with a few black spots. Contemplating buying them as long as the black spotting is surmountable. Also keen to see how long it takes them to form a decent hedge.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't think @Alisonjayne has been on the forum since this thread 3 years ago @Whalehq.
    Spotted laurel is more iffy than the usual laurels - Cherry and Portuguese etc, as it tends to get a bit more frost damage, and doesn't cope with very wet conditions as well as the plain green one does.
    Any hedge will take several years to establish - but it all depends on your conditions, climate, size of plants, and aftercare. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • WhalehqWhalehq Posts: 14
    thanks for the reply. Thats a shame as I've seen quite  few in my local parks etc in dappled shade and quite like the look of them. might go for a safer option then.
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