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Viburnum branches dying

mmbforrester514mmbforrester514 Posts: 11
in Problem solving
Does anyone know what might be causing branches of my viburnum to be withering/ losing leaves, starting at bottom then ending up with whole branch dead. This has been happening for a couple of years and is spreading from one side of bush to the other. I’ve tried removing ‘infected’ branches, clearing leaves, treating for vine weevil larvae but to no avail. It’s in a relatively sheltered position (out of wind, sheltered from strong midday sun) in a garden in Edinburgh and has been very happy for the previous 11 years that I’ve lived here.

 Any tips gratefully received. 


Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2023
    @mmbforrester514 One of the biggest problems especially for Viburnum Tinus is V beetle. If you do have that it would be fairly obvious unless your plant has only suffered a mild attack. Ageneral yellowing of some leaves would be normal.
    With vine veevil you will see bites along the edges of the leaves.
    Other than that I doubt water is an issue so far north although there does look to be competition from a Mahonia. I assume all the other plants in your garden are healthy?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • mmbforrester514mmbforrester514 Posts: 11
    Thanks GardenerSuze. Yes, other plants seem healthy. There has been some evidence of vine beetle in the garden but not lots, but I have been treating for this with nemasys. I’ve tried to thin out branches of viburnum when there has been sign of leaves dying and cut Mahonia right back a couple of months ago to try and give ‘room’ to viburnum but it’s not made any difference. The leaves are going yellow then shrivelling up and whole branch dying. It starts from lower leaves on branch then makes its way to the top, and branches are dying from left to right in the photo. I’ve lost about a third of the bush this year. Could it be anything else?
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2023
    @mmbforrester514 Sorry but I am unable to offer any further help.
    It could be some form of disease but I cannot tell from your post and phot.
    If you have an RHS membership they do have plant pathology open to members I think.
    Also if you type in Dying Viburnum at the top you will see an old thread with possible causes. If you are removing branches cleaning your secateurs is always good.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Viburnums are very susceptible to honey fungus. The first signs are a tree or shrub which suddenly doesn't look quite right and then one or two branches at a time just die back (very much as you describe). Eventually the whole shrub succumbs. There is no legal treatment in the UK and itspreads below ground by rhizomes to other vulnerable woody plants.

    There could be other reasons for the problem but HF is a contender.

    The best way to check is to carefully remove a little bark at or just below ground level. If there is a sheet of white mycelium it's probably HF - especially if it smells strongly of mushrooms. The RHS web pages contain a lot more info about identification.

    I have HF in my garden - it's a beggar - and I have never seen the black 'bootlace' rhizomes or toadstool-like fruiting bodies which people often quote as identifiers for the disease. The white mycelium is the most reliable indicator. 

    @didyw recently lost a tinus to HF and I lost a v. bodnatense and a rose a couple of years back.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @mmbforrester514 I did wonder if HF could be a possible cause, the health of other plants in the garden could also be an indication of it's presence. I think it is time to have a good look [goggles required] at the base.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    I posted about the same problem earlier this year (poorly viburnum). 
    We lost an Osmanthus to HF last year, but I saw no white mycelium at the base of the Viburnum.  This plant actually had a bit of a revival this summer,  but then one whole stem wilted and died. The stem had lost a lot of bark low down in the hard frost of last December  so it was effectivelyring barked.  If it is HF again the odd thing is that there are lots of healthy woody shrubs in between it's position and the old  Osmanthus.  Sorry not to be more help. 
    AB Still learning

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I lost one in the past when it got damage low down to the bark, on the main trunk, as @Allotment Boy describes. I've never had honey fungus in any garden.
    I had lifted this particular one to move it, and it had been cut back first, but it got damaged [no idea how - possibly just the poor weather conditions] and the bark was splitting near the base. It never recovered. 
    It might be worth having a look near the base of that dodgy branch, and seeing what it looks like.  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mmbforrester514mmbforrester514 Posts: 11
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I’ve got some family business to deal with over the next few days but hope to get out in the garden in a week or so and will have a good ‘root’ around the viburnum and surrounding area then. 😊
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