Red-Tip Photinias with fungus at the base

ThatCootsGuy · Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Richardson,TEXAS

Please help. I just bought a home with a row of 15 ft tall photinias along the back. I noticed a few of the shrubs were dying. One has a white looking fungus at the base. Another has a black looking fungus, almost a mushroom look. The bed does not look like it has been cared for in a long time. Old leaves and dead branchs a few inches thick. No sunlight on bed due to Photinias leaves are all the way to the ground.

Questions I have are around prep and maintenance. 1) Should the base the plant have the flares exposed? 2) Should I trim the branches up a foot or two so the beds can see some light?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

sandih · Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 1038 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=40

Follow Howard's suggestions.

ThatCootsGuy · Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Richardson,TEXAS

Thanks Sandhi. I did print those instructions and I will give them a try.

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2002 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

My solution is to dig down to expose the roots, then clip off the roots - all of them, and remove the plant. I do hate those plants.

ThatCootsGuy · Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Richardson,TEXAS

Not helpful David

sandih · Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 1038 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

David,

Howard and others have always indicated that these shrubs susceptible to fungus that can wipe out an entire row. Since he's already seeing this problem, it seems that the best course of action would be the method already indicated in the "Library" portion of this website.

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2002 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

I predict that eventually you will all come to see that plant from my perspective. It's a weed. Actually it is worse than a weed because it is much more attractive than most weeds so people spend money buying it, caring for it, and trying to save it when it reverts to it's ugly growth habit (i.e. NOT red tipped).

Maybe I should say it this way...it's a temperamental specialty plant that only the most enthusiastic collectors should attempt to grow.

Tricky Grama · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:45 am Post subject:

I agree on the 'badness' of the photinas but when we've inheirited them, its a good thing to try to save 'em if not a lot of trouble.

I'm wondering if allowing them to grow as trees instead of chopping 'em off as shrubs is a better thing to do? Neighbors 'trained' their previously 'bushed' photinias to be trees & they are now beautiful & about 35- 40' tall.

Patty

e Craig · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:30 am Post subject:

I'm wondering if some of us are blaming the plants for reacting to problems we [the total, cicilized, "we"] inflicted.

More specifically, I was recently called to see a backyard ringed with "tree-sized" Photiniaa. The homeowner had recently moved in and had various trees dying and/or dying back. In this grove, were most all the symptoms described above, but not everywhere. As well as the possibility of girdling roots.

My own prejudicea probably kicked in as I suggested that if he liked and wanted to keep what he had, [He did.] he needed to start a program of converting to organics and as time allowed prune & train and check the root flares, selectively relieve the overcrowding [too many plants, too close together], etc. etc.

Take care.
Craig

It is not our part to master all the tides of the world,
but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set,
uprooting the evil in the fields we know
so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. __Unknown .. [Stolen, I think, from someone else on these forums.]