This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Problem bush
Desthemoaner
Posts: 191
Hi All
Not posted a photo on this site before, so I hope this works.
Could someone please tell me what this bush is, and what's wrong with it? We only moved in here last year and the bush seemed at the time to be healthy, but this year its developed areas of dying leaves. I removed some of the dead stuff a couple of weeks ago but it continues to die. Thanks in advance.
0
Posts
Another pic of the same bush, showing the whole thing.
I don't recognise that at all but I'll push you up to the top of the forum
In the sticks near Peterborough
If the leaves of your bush are quite firm, then it could be a bay. These can suffer with die-back after a harsh winter, as we have had here in Derbyshire.
I don't think it's bay. If it is it's in big trouble. A sniff of a squeezed leaf will tell you.
In the sticks near Peterborough
elaeagnus pungens
Thanks, all. We have bay in other parts of the garden and the leaves appear to be slightly different. There are similar bushes elsewhere and this year they have sprouted clusters of small white flowers, whereas this one hasn't. Any clues as to what I can do with it, apart from chop the poor thing up for thin firewood?
It doesn't look promising - as part of it has died off it's an inelegant shape and it can only get worse. I'd get rid of it, replenish the soil by digging in some well-rotted farmyard manure and homemade compost, and choose a replacement - what about a Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think you're probably right, and that given the continuing dieback it might be best to give this up as a bad job.
I should add that I am not an experienced gardener, and that when we purchased this bungalow and its medium-sized garden we inherited all manner of bushes and shrubs which I can't even name, let alone manage when they become unhealthy. Its a steep learning curve but with the help of forums like this one I'm hoping to keep on top of things. However, I find it very disappointing that we may already be looking at losing a well established bush. I'll look up the Black Lace and consider my options, thanks.
Nothing lives for ever Des, it's not like to be anything you've done. Judging by the thickness of the trunk that plant has been around a very long time
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'm tempted to give it another few weeks and see whether it recovers, but it does seem to be getting worse by the day. Maybe I should look on this bush's demise as an opportunity rather than a loss.
There are several more (healthy) bushes and shrubs in this garden that I'm unable to put a name to, so prepare for more pictures.