# What's wrong with this Bush?



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Fungus/disease or some kind of nutrient issue?


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

What kind of plant is it? (other than quite beautiful - your yard looks great and, that palmetto Rocks!)

The wide shot almost makes the yellow look like new growth but, I assume that's not it or else you wouldn't be asking.

The leaves and shoots don't yell out "Fungal disease" to me (at least not in the photographs) and my first guess would be moisture stress - and if you've endured the near constant tropical rains we have I would err on the side of excessive irrigation.

"The most common reason that plants' leaves turn yellow is because of moisture stress, which can be from either over watering or under watering." (https://www.ambius.com/indoor-plants/why-plants-turn-yellow/)

Anytime I see evergreens (typically acid lovin') close to foundations, sidewalks, driveways or any en masses of concrete I also wonder about lime-induced chlorosis, of which yellowing leaves can be a primary indicator ALTHOUGH LIME INDUCED CHLOROSIS TYPICALLY EXHIBITS YELLOWING BETWEEN THE LEAVES' VEINS (not readily apparent in your photos)

Yellowing leaves can also indicate deficiencies in either / or: manganese, nitrogen, magnesium (although nitro deficiencies also usually include general weakening of the plant, again, not readily in those photos.

Others may offer more accurate posits but, I'd lean toward excessive irrigation (which, if the rains and any sprinkler "over-spray" are temporary most plants can deal with on their own, given time) but DEFINITELY DO A SOIL Ph test - before you go fertilizing "blindly".

Hopefully, even just an off-the-shelf soil ph meter will guide you as to whether you want to provide the plant some iron or manganese sulfate, a high potassium fertilizer, an acid (the right Hollytone) or just mix some organics into the soil.

Diggin' that palmetto ... 

EDIT: there is one leaf, in the background, not quite as clear as the others, just left of center in your first photo that appears to show some "browning" or "purpling" of that leaf, in rounded edge "blotches" so, I'd not be too surprised if some amount of nitrogen may be in order, along with a break from the 3" and 4" of rain we've been getting, per rain event (sheesh, enough already!)

Best o' Success and, let us know what you ultimately determine (and what worked) :thumbup:


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I wish that were my yard, but it's a customers! lol. Appreciate all of the guidance, and I will check it out. I don't know the name of the bush unfortunately but I can find out.


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

All of the yellow leaves seem to have a little curl or fold on the yellow portion. To me, that says "maybe insects". Did you spot any bugs on or around the bush?


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I did not see any critters. I was thinking a nutrient deficiency of some kind.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

The bush is called a Lygastrum


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

@SCGrassMan there are two possibilities. It could be black spot from excessive watering that has resulted in chlorosis, but it looks like an iron deficiency to me.

First thing I would do is apply liquid iron from a hose-end spray because that seems like the most likely issue.

If the evergreen requires an acidic soil, like Azaleas, etc., then you need to apply some specific fertilizer or possibly an acidic booster (fertilome makes these and they're usually at places like ACE)

If it's none of those things then you've got a watering problem that is causing black spot and leading to chlorosis.

EDIT: Actually I'm editing because I looked closer at the picture. It could be iron deficiency and applying iron definitely isn't going to hurt, but you need to figure out the watering problem because it does look like there's some black spot on one of those leaves. Black spot usually comes with, or is a precursor to, chlorosis/yellowing of the leaves.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Maybe pull some soil from there and do a test?


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

SCGrassMan said:


> Maybe pull some soil from there and do a test?


you could, but in all honestly I see this all the time in my garden. With evergreens, I will let it go awhile because they are very resilient and will often find a way to recover on their own. Your problem is past that threshold though and I think the answer is obvious enough that you could treat for the two most likely problems and monitor for improvement.

I'd assess the watering and see if the plant is getting sprayed from irrigation. If it's just getting a bunch of rain, then go the neem-oil route (or a weapons grade fungicide but be careful about the heat). Then, I'd apply some liquid iron both foliar and at the base of the plant.

If those don't fix it, then soil test. The yellowing leaves are going to die and fall off regardless, so that's not really a sign of anything. If it's black spot, you should prune those leaves to prevent further spread of the disease.


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