Asked on Jul 25, 2014

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with my Shrubbery?

Judy Fazio
by Judy Fazio
This is my Sutherland Cutleaf Golden Elder that I planted in 2010. We live in zone 3. Always seems fine in the spring but at about the same time last year and this year it appears to wilt and the leaves on what seams to be the same branches die off. I use slow release shrubbery fertilizer every spring and water only if we run into a dry spell. Have seen no traces of bugs so far.
I've picked and trimmed all the dead & dying leaves but don't know what else to do.
  28 answers
  • Rhonda B Rhonda B on Jul 25, 2014
    Could possibly be a couple of things-either verticillium wilt or stem borers. If you trim off a branch at it's starting point from the trunk and look to see if the pith (middle) is in tact if it is it might be verticillium wilt if it is hollow it is stem borers. Verticillium wilt will usually cause staining or streaking (brown or green) in the sapwood (area between the pith and the bark). You might have to cut the branch in to pieces to be able to find either the borer or the staining from the wilt. Hope this helps!
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jul 26, 2014
    I like Rhonda's suggestions. If you have a Canadian equivalent of our extension office you might take a branch to them as well to get their thoughts.
  • Martha P Martha P on Jul 26, 2014
    This looks like a Japanese Maple tree that is getting too much sun! But it' shard to tell from the pictures.
  • Margareth Whaley Margareth Whaley on Jul 26, 2014
    Maybe--- the soil has become compacted at the base and it is not getting the water it should...careful and not to close to the stems dig around and lossen the soil
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Jul 26, 2014
    Thank You all for your help! I will try all your ideas and hope I can rectify this. I sure hope its not a stem borer ... sounds like an ominous task and I really don't want to start cutting more branches off the tree :(
  • Judy Judy on Jul 26, 2014
    Since it seems to be only one or two branches that are affected I wouldn't think it would be something like compacted soil or sun damage. I'd take a branch or a picture to your local extension office as Doug Hunt suggested or if there's a college nearby with a horticulture program the instructor may be able to help. It's interesting that the problem seems to carry over from one year to the next in the same branches.
  • April E April E on Jul 26, 2014
    how often do you water?
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Jul 26, 2014
    I water only when we have an extended hot dry spell.
  • Ronna Wilson Ronna Wilson on Jul 26, 2014
    Looks like heat stress. You didn't say what exposure it is getting but it should not be in full sun during the hottest part of the day. It also likes a humus rich moist but well drained soil, when only watering during dry spells it may not be receiving enough water it is planted at the foundation of your house which is usually not a moist spot. Hope this helps.
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Jul 26, 2014
    VERY LOVELY SPOT--ALTHO PRETTY CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
  • Sally Roesner Fuhr Sally Roesner Fuhr on Jul 26, 2014
    I was just thinking that. Too close to the foundation and siding. Sun can reflect off the siding and thus it gets more light than it likes. On the north side of the house, mostly in the summer. Yellowing of leaves suggests crowded roots. Dying leaves suggest fungus.
  • Dirturchin Dirturchin on Jul 26, 2014
    Possible also that the concrete of the foundation is leaching lime which will raise the soil PH.
  • Dirturchin Dirturchin on Jul 26, 2014
    But with the single branches dying, I agree with Rhonda B!
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Jul 26, 2014
    Seeing as this usually happens in July I'm thinking the heat may play a role in this as the morning sun is hot at this time of the season. This is on the east side of our house. Is close to wall and I think it gets shaded at about 2;00pm. Soon as it stops raining I still plan to look for borers and will educate myself on wilt in the mean time.
  • April E April E on Jul 27, 2014
    this looks like a water issue these plants prefer a moist well drained area if you are only watering when the dry spells have been extended it may not be being watered deep enough i would start checking the soil if you can use a hand spade to turn up the soil 3 inches and that soil is dry not moist water and water deeply turn on the hose at a tricle for a hour or so
    • See 1 previous
    • April E April E on Jul 27, 2014
      @BONNIE J not at a trickle it will be fine the plant is not right on the foundation and the foundation will not be damaged by such a plant nor its watering needs
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Jul 27, 2014
    When I checked the tree out this morning it appeared to be getting worse than when I first posted this add so I did some googling and then got out my snippers and followed Rhonda B's directions. STEM BORERS ate through many of the stems!! Cut branches till they were solid, fluffed up the dirt, fertilized and gave a good drink of water. Have high hopes for it's recovery now. A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Jul 27, 2014
    GOOD FOR YOU, BUT I WOULD MOVE IT TO ANOTHER LOCATION WITH MORE SPACE. JUST ME.
  • Kallen Kallen on Jul 27, 2014
    also having shrubs close to the house invites termites and carpenter ants. I learned this the hard way.
  • Myrna Engle Myrna Engle on Jul 27, 2014
    Have you ever used BAYER rose food with systemic poison ? I use it for any illness that could be systemic. Elders need lots of water. If you walk in the woods and look for Elders they will be in lowlands. You always give a plant what it likes in nature. Is it to big to dig up, wash it's roots, move it to a happier spot, give it systemic poison of your choice? It will probably recover.
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Jul 27, 2014
    Oh no, certainly don't want anything eating at our house! Will need to think of where I can move it to as my yard if very small and full of plants. I will look for the BAYER rose food as well. Thank You all again.
    • See 8 previous
    • Maggie C Maggie C on Dec 28, 2014
      @BONNIE J I've never worried about caps or not caps. Good for you even posting with a chronic illness that keeps you in bed.
  • Therese Ryan-Haas Therese Ryan-Haas on Jul 28, 2014
    I didn't read all the suggestions. But I hope someone suggested you clean the clippers with a solution of cap full of bleach and water in a spray bottle between cuts. It helps to keep speading bacteria or virus to the other branches.
  • Judy Fazio Judy Fazio on Aug 01, 2014
    Yes, somehow I did think to sanitize the clippers, but I only did it after I was finished trimming the whole tree :( I will hope for the best and remember your suggestion for next time. Thank You.
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Dec 10, 2014
    YIKES--WELL THAT MADE MY DAY! If u r ill than u should know better than to be so rude to chronically ill people; I've been unable to get around for over 2 wks & I sure did not need this. I don't even know what I said now. the lower case is for u & ''it'' is very hard for me to read.
    • Therese Ryan-Haas Therese Ryan-Haas on Dec 26, 2014
      @BONNIE J A quick tip if you don't already know. You can hold down your CTRL button and scroll UP on your mouse ball. This will enlarge your screen. This has been a big help with my eyes going.
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Dec 27, 2014
    I don't have a mouse ball--just the control on my laptop,
  • Ann daniel Ann daniel on Dec 27, 2014
    I didn't have a mouse with my laptop but went to walmart bought one .makes using laptop easier to use .
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Dec 28, 2014
    I USE IT IN MY BED & I TYPE WITH ONE FINGER--POORLY. A MOUSE WOULD BE ONE MORE THING TO DEAL WITH & I MANAGE JUST FINE WITH THE WAY IT IS FOR MY LIMITED NEEDS & ABILITIES.
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Dec 28, 2014
    AWWW--THX, MAGGIE. I'M GETTING PRETTY SICK OF THIS ALL CAPS NONSENSE! IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THAT BIG A DEAL NOR IMPORTANT ENUF TO GET TOLD OFF FOR. PEOPLE CAN BE SO PICKY. NOW I'M BEING TOLD I SHOULD GET A MOUSE FOR MY LAPTOP--SOMETHING ELSE TO PUT ON MY BED!
  • Kathy Kathy on Jul 10, 2015
    OKay????? does any of this have anything to do with the ladiy's question....she I asking about her shrubbery ---not a mouse on your computer