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Our Mahonia looks very poorly

katefield54katefield54 Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Our Mahonia is some years old (inherited when we bought the house 12yrs ago). Over the last year growth hasn't been good. It now looks 'leggy' and I've noticed what appears to be a fungal growth on the lower branches. Can it be saved?
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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited March 2023
    @katefield54 They can be pruned but not until early April. I pruned mine last year but the dry summer did knock it back. However it did flower and it looks better for it. It involves removing some of the old stems at the base. Gloves and googles needed.
    Do you have a photo not sure what the fungal growth might be. Welcome!
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • katefield54katefield54 Posts: 4

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's not too bonny @katefield54 :/
    Very leggy, but understandable as there's a lot of stuff around it ,and the conifer and  laurel, in particular, will be using a lot of the available moisture, and preventing light getting in. 
    They can really benefit from being cut back, and will simply branch out at the point where they're pruned, so you can also prune some trunks/branches at varying heights, but you'd just have to try it and see what happens. I sometimes do mine in summer, but I'd be inclined to do yours in a month or so, as @GardenerSuze suggests, as it'll want to grow at that point, if it's still viable.
    It looks like there's been some damage low down, hence the fungi, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't survive. I can see the reason for it being there, so it might be a case of replacing it instead, but that's probably for the future.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • katefield54katefield54 Posts: 4
    Thanks both for your help. Yes the garden needs TLC as my lovely gardener husband was very ill over the last 18mths & has since died but my tribute will be getting the garden back in shape. Unfortunately, the fence next door suffered in gales a couple of years ago!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I agree it doesn't look happy. The fungi in the centre is growing on dead wood which will be the oldest part of your shrub. I think the outer branches are alive. To check scrape a little of the bark[yes difficult as it is thick] underneath you should see bright yellow if it is healthy. Or carefully scrape away the soil the new roots are very yellow. The long stems should have some 'bend' if healthy too. 
    I would prune as @Fairygirl suggests it will shoot further down and fill the gap at the bottom. You will have to wait for it to regrow to give privacy.
    Long term yes you may favour something to replace it. Good Luck
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'm so sorry @katefield54 - I'm sure a shrub in the garden has been the least of your considerations over the last couple of years.
     
    If the gap bothers you just now, is there any way you could stick a bit of trellis, or similar, in there to fill the gap temporarily? 
    It wouldn't need removed if the Mahonia comes away again, but it would give you privacy while it re grows. If it doesn't, you could then remove it and plant a climber instead, as you'd then have a support in situ for it.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @katefield54 That will be a lovely tribute. I think I must have still been typing when you posted. I hope you get some comfort from being in the space your husband loved. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    They're pretty tough. I've seen ones like that cut right back to 1ft tall and they just start growing all over again! 

    I cut mine back hard a few weeks back. It had reached about six ft which was just a bit too big for the space. Had looked great and been an ideal size previously, so took a chance. 

    Fingers crossed! 
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    The fungi looks like jelly ear fungi and grows on decayed, dying wood so that part of the mahonia can't be saved. It's difficult to tell from the photograph but if that is cut away would it leave any part of the plant that is still alive do you think?
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • katefield54katefield54 Posts: 4
    Thank you. I have scraped the bark on the outer branches which are all still living except for one. The branch with the fungi growing is dead on one side but not the other. I guess it is dying. I will cut out the dead, cut back the others and if it doesn't survive, I will replace as I love this tree
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