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black spots on bush
Bluebaron
Posts: 226
Anyone know what this is and is it treatable?
0
Bluebaron
Posts: 226
Bluebaron
Posts: 226
Posts
I think it's likely to be the result of stress due to a waterlogged winter. The new leaves look fine.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's an Aucuba - 'Spotted Laurel'. I have a couple in a border, one in dappled shade one in shade. I bought them a few years ago because they were supposed to be trouble-free from pests and diseases and ideal for standing up to city pollution.
They have done really well and are still young. I've only had them 4 years and have only noticed that mine are not great with frost or high winds and in those conditions they get black bits on the leaves or some of the leaves turn yellow and wither off. Otherwise they seem to withstand anything.
They don't much like when the ground is soaked and I've read that you should avoid waterlogged ground. So if you've been in an area hit by the flooding, that may have caused your problem. I'm in the city in Edinburgh, Scotland though and I have noticed that this year they've had more black on the leaves than ever before. I cut the affected leaves off a month ago and they have now produced their little flowers. Because my two are apart from each other they don't produce the red berries/fruits. They also don't look as sprightly this year as they have always done in the past and have been losing leaves.
OOPS! Sorry. You're obviously well aware it's a Spotted Laurel and are only asking about the spots etc. I totally misinterpreted a simple sentence. Duh!