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Red Robbin Dying

ed.hilborne2jeIY25ded.hilborne2jeIY25d Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hope someone can help, we have 3 mature (7yr old) red robin trees, last year after flowering one of them started to lose its leaves. Despite watering it has not started to come back this year. you can see in the image the tree next to it is doing well. 
Any ideas of how to revive it or are we looking at a replacement?

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @ed.hilborne2jeIY25d Sorry but that does not look good. Try scraping the bark for sighs of life, or cut with secateurs. Think it will be a replacement. Not aware that they suffer from replant disease but I would improve the soil. Welcome.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I agree, l think it's probably had it, but the bark test should confirm it. It does happen that you get three or four of the same shrub in a row, all treated exactly the same, and one dies for whatever reason.

  • ed.hilborne2jeIY25ded.hilborne2jeIY25d Posts: 3
    Thanks I will do a bark test, any suggestions what to put in its place? South facing garden with clay soil. Looking for something that won’t take years to fill the screening gap.

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Off the top of my head, privet might fit the bill, but l'm sure there will be other suggestions. 
  • SYinUSASYinUSA Posts: 243
    Closely spaced photinia in damp climates can be felled by a fungal infection. I can't see the leaves well enough to tell if that's what is wrong with yours. Here's some advice on dealing with that, if that is indeed the problem.

    From Southern Living magazine:

    The fungus that causes entomosporium leaf spot only attacks new, red growth. Mature green leaves are immune. Splashing water and wind spread the disease from leaf to leaf, so to prevent it, do the following things:

    1. Remove and destroy infected leaves.
    2. Do not wet leaves when watering.
    3. Avoid summer pruning, which results in a flush of susceptible new leaves.
    4. Spray the plant with chlorothalonil (Daconil) every 10 to 14 days from bud break in spring until all new foliage has matured.
    5. Unless you regularly spray with a fungicide, the disease eventually kills the plant.
    Also from Southern Living: 
    https://www.southernliving.com/garden/shrubs/red-tip-photinias-alternatives  I am partial to osmanthus fruitlandii personally. 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I would not go down the chemical route I do think your Photinia is probably dead. Spraying such a large plant is not practical anyway.
    Do you need height at the top for screening or do you just want to fill the gap?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • SYinUSASYinUSA Posts: 243
    It could be crown rot, which is also caused by a fungus. Expose the base of the tree at the soil line and see/feel what's happening there. The leaf spot fungus stays in the leaves; and because the foliage is evergreen, it harbors the fungus year-round and spreads easily between plants. The crown rot fungus lives in the soil, making a 1:1 replacement susceptible as well. If it is fungal and you do nothing, you will likely lose the other photinia as well. 

    Regardless of what the problem is, I'd still consider replacement. The flowers don't smell very good.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    One other possibility relation to the soil could be lack of space for the roots to grow. Something you won't know until you dig it out.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • ed.hilborne2jeIY25ded.hilborne2jeIY25d Posts: 3
    Looking for height to block neighbours windows view into garden 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited March 2023
    @ed.hilborne2jeIY25d The problem is you will be waiting many years for anything to get to that height.
    You could invest in an expensive mature plant but larger plants are slow to establish and can be risky.  Soil prep would be even more important.
    Fast growing hedging such as Laurel, just keeps growing and long term a chainsaw is the only way to control it.
    A dilemma, if you can give further thoughts hopefully more help will be given.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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