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Fireblight on pyracantha and other plants
Pyra
Posts: 152
So, I wanted to plant a wildlife hedge in early spring 2020. So I planted a mixture of hawthorn, blackthorn, wild roses, and pyracantha for something evergreen. And I really like pyracantha. And the first year, nothing really flowered, which is fine, it was new. Come autumn, there were some berries on the pyracantha. Wonderful! But, they quickly turned brown and dried up. Oh well, first year, it's fine. And they lost some leaves come winter. But not all of them. So they're probably just adjusting.
Second year, all the others are fine. Roses blooming, hawthorn shooting up. Pyracantha, not really flowering. OK, maybe it's still adjusting. So they get lots of water, just in case it's water stress. Notice there's some parts on some plants that look a bit brown. So I trim those off, because I've heard fireblight might be the cause. Again, some berries, but they turn brown. Again, trim them off.
Come winter, all of the pyracantha, all of them, lose all or most of their leaves. They look terrible.
Now, last week, leaves started coming back. Great! But, those leaves are now starting to look brown. And I'm really, really worried its actually fireblight. Because not only is there hawthorn in the garden, but a beautiful rowan tree I planted that I love. It seemed to have some, brown spots on its leaves just before they turned last year, but I wasn't sure if that was anything serious or just it starting to turn.
So, is there anything that can be done to stop fireblight spreading? And are the pyracantha saveable? They all have nice, thick stems now, so seem to love the garden, they just keep turning brown and dropping leaves. Honestly, at this point, if they need to go, they go. They've been nothing but PITA. But I'd really like to save the rowan and the hawthorn.
I will get photos tomorrow in daylight.
TIA.
Second year, all the others are fine. Roses blooming, hawthorn shooting up. Pyracantha, not really flowering. OK, maybe it's still adjusting. So they get lots of water, just in case it's water stress. Notice there's some parts on some plants that look a bit brown. So I trim those off, because I've heard fireblight might be the cause. Again, some berries, but they turn brown. Again, trim them off.
Come winter, all of the pyracantha, all of them, lose all or most of their leaves. They look terrible.
Now, last week, leaves started coming back. Great! But, those leaves are now starting to look brown. And I'm really, really worried its actually fireblight. Because not only is there hawthorn in the garden, but a beautiful rowan tree I planted that I love. It seemed to have some, brown spots on its leaves just before they turned last year, but I wasn't sure if that was anything serious or just it starting to turn.
So, is there anything that can be done to stop fireblight spreading? And are the pyracantha saveable? They all have nice, thick stems now, so seem to love the garden, they just keep turning brown and dropping leaves. Honestly, at this point, if they need to go, they go. They've been nothing but PITA. But I'd really like to save the rowan and the hawthorn.
I will get photos tomorrow in daylight.
TIA.
0
Posts
https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/fireblight
It does sound like you have some very unhappy pyracantha plants, but hopefully there will be a way to save them. I'm wondering if they might be suffering from pyracantha scab.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/pyracantha-scab
I've never had it on Pyracantha [and I've been growing them in different gardens for decades] until a couple of years ago. One of two I have in the back garden was affected. I cut all the areas back hard, and this year it's looking fine - so far, but I'll be watching out for anything else. The other one, and the one in the front garden are fine.
I don't think the rowan is a problem, but keep an eye on it just in case. Last year was hideously dry here, so make sure it's had enough water, especially if it was newly planted. The more water they get, the better. Dry conditions don't suit them at all. Hawthorn is the same - does best with lots of moisture, but it's generally more accommodating with conditions, especially once it's established .
Photos will certainly help when you can manage them.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm not sure. I've never had fireblight so I can't really tell if it's that rather than scab. I didn't have lesions on the main stems though - it was really just foliage, so it may well be blight. You might have to try and compare using the links @AnniD posted.
I had a look at mine this morning because of this thread, and it all seems healthy. Mine wasn't bare like that though, so I was able to cut branches off without it looking a bit hellish.
You might have to cut your losses there
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think I'll just take it out and cut my losses. I don't want to risk the rowan tree or the hawthorn, just in case is spreads. It's never looked right, anyway.
I would remove the berries anyway as the birds won't touch them now.
I don't know what the best thing is for you to do @Pyra. It's a decision you'll have to make based on how you feel.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oddly, of the two this is the one that flowered better and berried up better last year but has started slower this year. I wondered whether it had simply used more energy than the other on berries and flowers.