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Our poorly Smoke Bush/Tree - Verticillium Wilt?

joxKvCTHUzjoxKvCTHUz Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Hello - suddenly, over the past month, our Smoke Tree has stopped looking healthy. Instead we have these singed looking leaves. I had a quick look on www and read about Verticillium Wilt. 

Any thoughts on whether it's this? We had a new sleeper put in in front of the tree last year. We also wondered whether the roots had been damaged.

We want to save it. We love it!

Thoughts please

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Since there are dried up shrivelled leaves, you could attempt to prune some branches out. Check the inner part of the branches. If you see dark staining in the internal cut branches, that will most likely mean Verticillium Wilt. 

    If you see no staining, it is very likely to be a water issue. The weather has been pretty dry in parts of the UK, and you should help it by watering generously all through the summer to autumn months. These shrubs can rejuvenate through some harsh pruning, and it may just need that to help it recover for next year.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They respond very well to pruning anyway @joxKvCTHUz . The best colour is achieved if pruned on a fairly regular basis, and that also keeps them rejuvenated.
    It looks like yours has been allowed to just grow into a mature shrub/tree, rather than being coppiced, so if it isn't wilt, pruning will help anyway, as well as watering. 

    I'd agree with @Borderline's advice to do a bit of pruning of those affected branches. That will give you the answer  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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