kishu gray fungus?

[Joe2758]

I purchased these well established Kishu cuttings about a month ago. They shipped from North CA to central PA. After two weeks of looking very healthy I thinned them. They looked great, so a week later I sprayed them with a mild soap solution and rinsed them well as a pre-winter precaution.

A week after that, so now about a month in, I noticed this gray on the bark. The foliage still looks very healthy.

Is it normal? Is it dormancy? Is it from the soap? Is it fungus?

 

[bwaynef]

I don't notice anything to be worried about. The foliage is where most any fungus is going to attack first. If there is some change its likely just the lignification process at work.

 

[Joe2758]

Thanks, I just needed some reassurance I think. I'm new, I haven't seen that ashy gray before.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I think you're looking at the first layer of old needles and some bark that turned grey. You can rub that off to expose the brown bark beneath it. It's pretty normal.

 

[Joe2758]

Thanks Wires. Incidentally my last post was about maturing bark on a dogwood that made me nervous. It must seem so silly to experienced people but, live and learn!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry! Good that you asked because if it would've been rust.. You would have had to amputate. Aaaand you would have discovered another strain of rust that fruits in fall, which would be terrible news.