![]() ![]() Longer distance spread is thought to occur through the activities of humans (e.g., contaminated boots, clothing, and equipment), animals, and birds, since the spores are sticky”. ( Water either from rain or irrigation hits a leaf that is infected, which catapults spores from one leaf to the next, or to other plants that are within a few inches.This is why hedge plantings/group plantings of Boxwoodareparticularly susceptible to quick and widespread damage). “Boxwood blight spores are splash-dispersed and can be carried by wind or wind-driven rain over short distances’. This is a persistent, destructive fungus that can quickly cause severe damage to one of the most common species of residential and commercial landscape plants. Eliminating the fungus in infected plants is not possible, control in the soil is extremely difficult. However, ample spores left behind survive and mean a new generation of the fungus can quickly spring to life. The fungus starts slowing it’s growth at 80+ degrees, and dies when temperatures hit 87+ degrees or higher. If the proper conditions persist the plant can go from infection to defoliation in as little as 1 week. The disease can advance very rapidly through a plant. This disease becomes active in our area (Central New Jersey) in late May through late September if the right weather conditions are present. If these conditions are met it springs to life aggressively. It lies dormant until temperatures reach 68 degrees or warmer, with high humidity, for several days. It is a fungus that requires warm moist weather to grow and infect plants. It affects boxwood, pachysandra and sarcococca varieties. Common in England for 20 years it was first identified in the United States in 2011 and has now been found in 23 states. Caused by the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata ( ). ![]()
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