Boxwood Blight Presentation Slides

Mellos

Sapling
Messages
44
Reaction score
26
USDA Zone
8b
We recently attended a pest and disease training for work and one of the topics was boxwood blight. I know quite of you folks keep boxwood in your collections so I requested the slides and permission to share them. The slides are very informative and fairly detailed, I hope they are helpful.

I had split the file into three parts due to the large size, please let me know if you have problems viewing them.
 

Attachments

  • Boxwood Blight 1.pdf
    3.8 MB · Views: 104
  • Boxwood Blight 2.pdf
    2.3 MB · Views: 55
  • Boxwood Blight 3.pdf
    2.4 MB · Views: 42

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,605
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
We recently attended a pest and disease training for work and one of the topics was boxwood blight. I know quite of you folks keep boxwood in your collections so I requested the slides and permission to share them. The slides are very informative and fairly detailed, I hope they are helpful.

I had split the file into three parts due to the large size, please let me know if you have problems viewing them.
Thanks, much appreciated.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,181
Reaction score
22,178
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
Thanks. This has been around in Va. since 2015. Started in Williamsburg (which has some of the oldest boxwood in the U.S.--as does the rest of the state)

Fungus doesn't like hot or cold, but cool and wet--i.e. Spring and Fall--conditions. Beware nursery boxwood...

http://www.vagazette.com/life/va-vg-boxwood-1027-story.html
 

cbroad

Omono
Messages
1,685
Reaction score
1,970
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
7a
Just spoke with a local boxwood grower here in Richmond yesterday. The guy told me he had a couple samples of microphylla and a sempervirens/microphylla hybrid with suspected boxwood blight. He said that after it got tested, it was confirmed to be boxwood blight.

Don't know if I necessarily believe him but it may be now that the blight has jumped species, where as it only affected the sempervirens species.. These implications are not good for us with truly historic boxwood around us. Being from Williamsburg, I've seen the very old boxwoods around CW and can only hope more are not affected.
 

Mellos

Sapling
Messages
44
Reaction score
26
USDA Zone
8b
Just spoke with a local boxwood grower here in Richmond yesterday. The guy told me he had a couple samples of microphylla and a sempervirens/microphylla hybrid with suspected boxwood blight. He said that after it got tested, it was confirmed to be boxwood blight.

Don't know if I necessarily believe him but it may be now that the blight has jumped species, where as it only affected the sempervirens species.. These implications are not good for us with truly historic boxwood around us. Being from Williamsburg, I've seen the very old boxwoods around CW and can only hope more are not affected.

As far as I know all species of boxwood are susceptible, although some more so than others.
 

cbroad

Omono
Messages
1,685
Reaction score
1,970
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
7a
Well, looks like I'm out of the loop... Thought it was only affecting the sempervirens, but pdf also says it affects other species too. The guy I spoke with yesterday also mentioned it affects sarcacocca and pachysandra...
 

cbroad

Omono
Messages
1,685
Reaction score
1,970
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
7a
all species of boxwood are susceptible
When I worked at my nursery full-time, there was a huge scare about the blight coming from our Alabama growers and at the time we were told that it was only affecting sempervirens, but that was a few years ago... Not good at all...
 

peterbone

Mame
Messages
247
Reaction score
538
Location
South East England
USDA Zone
8b
I had a couple of box bonsai die a couple of years ago from box blight. After researching the disease and finding out that there's not much you can do to save an infected plant I come to one conclusion - keeping box bonsai isn't worth the trauma. I didn't get another box since.
 

KLSbonsai

Yamadori
Messages
61
Reaction score
82
Location
NE Georgia
USDA Zone
7A
All the information on here is correct, Clemson University did an update on blight at the end of January and it confirm that has spread to all species of boxwood. Their are still some cultivars that are more resistant than other but all are now susceptible. I deal with thousands of boxwoods on a daily basis and have seen devastate a landscape. We have adopted a extreme preventive spray program to do our best to keep it from effecting customers landscape. We sanitize all tools between plants while pruning and between properties when planting. The disease can be prevented but just not cured. It is such a shame we are loosing so many old plants.
 

KLSbonsai

Yamadori
Messages
61
Reaction score
82
Location
NE Georgia
USDA Zone
7A
@bwaynef, I didn't bring my laptop( where it is saved) home this weekend, but I will post it on Monday. But to give you some idea we start spraying in the spring with a rotation of 3 fungicides every 14 to 21 days depending on fungicide was the previous. One fungicide is chlorthionil(Daconil), the other is Tourney(metconazole), and I don't remember the third one of the top of my head at the moment.
 

CasAH

Chumono
Messages
780
Reaction score
1,270
Location
Arlington Heights, IL
USDA Zone
5
The Chicago Botanic Garden will not allow anyone to bring in any boxwood plant or leaves. They got hit hard and finally got it under control.

They have done a lot of research and breeding of boxwoods to survive colder conditions and have introduced many cultivars into the nursery trade.
 

KLSbonsai

Yamadori
Messages
61
Reaction score
82
Location
NE Georgia
USDA Zone
7A
Quarantine process is part of any good nursery. The nursery we buy from a nursery that does a 30 day quarantine after the grower in NC did the same after digging them. The grower also doesn't allow anyone into the fields. The nursery doesn't allow people in the boxwood holding area. Blight also can infect pachysandra and sorrococa(spelling?).
 

cbroad

Omono
Messages
1,685
Reaction score
1,970
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
7a
Blight also can infect pachysandra and sorrococa(spelling?).
But supposedly it's only been found in laboratory testing.

Saunder's, which is a big boxwood grower in my state, does the same thing as far as quarantining plants and people from their boxwood fields; they're the only ones that I know of that does that...
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,605
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
But supposedly it's only been found in laboratory testing.

Saunder's, which is a big boxwood grower in my state, does the same thing as far as quarantining plants and people from their boxwood fields; they're the only ones that I know of that does that...
This conversation is bringing back memories of quarantine for Koi shipments. They were very useful provided certain temperature parameters were met during the quarantine period. The disease would only show up if the temperature ranges for its reproduction were met during quarantine. I expect that would also apply to plants and specific climatic conditions. long winded way of saying the quarantine is an important step if done correctly and isolation steps were taken. Not a sure thing.
 

Nanuk

Shohin
Messages
392
Reaction score
552
Location
Warner Robins Georgia
USDA Zone
8A
Wow, I was just looking at Boxwoods the other day.
Was thinking about doing Bonsai with one o two.
I think at this time I will pass. I have enough problems without having to worry about Blight.

Excellent post Mellos, thanks.
 

Mellos

Sapling
Messages
44
Reaction score
26
USDA Zone
8b
I wouldn’t necessarily pass on boxwood completely, especially if you really like them. On the other hand if I owned any really nice, old boxwoods I might feel differently.

You just need to be thoughtful about bringing them into your collection. You should certainly quarantine any new plants. If possible find out before purchasing if the seller follows any sort of boxwood blight protocol, or if they have had any past issues with blight.
 

Mellos

Sapling
Messages
44
Reaction score
26
USDA Zone
8b
I wouldn’t necessarily pass on boxwood completely, especially if you really like them. On the other hand if I owned any really nice, old boxwoods I might feel differently.

You just need to be thoughtful about bringing them into your collection. You should certainly quarantine any new plants. If possible find out before purchasing if the seller follows any sort of boxwood blight protocol, or if they have had any past issues with blight.
 

KLSbonsai

Yamadori
Messages
61
Reaction score
82
Location
NE Georgia
USDA Zone
7A
Keep in mind that Kingsville and Harlandii are common for bonsai. They are both on the more resistant varieties for blight. Considering the care level that bonsai receive, that is also a plus when it comes to giving them the conditions to possibly not get it in the first place. I have several in my collections, one american and the others are varities of korean.
 
Top Bottom