Mahonia - rust or leaf scorch or?

KarolinaW · May 2023

This Mahonia is quite old. It used to be covered with other Mahonias, so got very leggy.
We had to chop quite a lot of it, now the old leaves started to look like on the photos below. Not sure what it is, I'm very new to the gardening world! Not sure if rust - nothing really at the bottom of the leaves. Perhaps too much wind? New growth seems fine. I was going to trim these long branches next year, should I do it now (to the level of new leaves)?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/o2/ts7jzo9s031d.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/gu/lqmt2zcoyru8.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/q8/wxgho4h9m3n5.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/nc/mtitbhyy4afg.jpg

Dovefromabove · May 2023

Your instinct is correct … in this case the old (weather-damaged) leaves don’t matter … they’ll eventually be replaced, and the young leaves look just fine.

Personally I would cut the whole thing hard back now … probably to about 3ft high at the most … then feed lightly with a sprinkle of Fish, Blood & Bone watered well in, mulch well with garden compost or similar and stand well back … you’ll get a much better shaped and leafier shrub that way.

Be brave 😉

KarolinaW · May 2023

Thank you so much! You're probably right, because the shape of it is not the best. I'll probably cut it to some level!

Dovefromabove · May 2023

Let us know how it turns out

Fairygirl · May 2023

I agree - they benefit from a good chop. I've done mine a couple of times [it's about 8 or 9 years old] and I've done it with them in other gardens I've had.
They often look bad after winter, so it's a good way of refreshing them. It's a shrub that doesn't mind being cut back at any time of year too.

Mahonia - rust or leaf scorch or?

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