Down Garden Services

Box Blights

Volutella buxi and Cylindrocladium buxicola

There are two organisms which cause Blight in the Genus Buxus; both are fungal and they can occur together. Volutella has been around for many years. It is caused by Volutella buxi resulting in browning of the leaves and dieback of branches leaving bare patches in hedges and topiary specimens. It spreads in wet humid conditions - pinkish spores appear on the undersides of leaves and are carried in water splashes to new sites. Fallen leaves carry the disease over the winter and new spores are produced in the spring. They enter the plant through clipping cuts and other damage to leaves and stems.

The other Box Blight has only been recognised in the British Isles since the mid 1990s, but is causing great concern. The fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola produces symptoms similar to Volutella with defoliated plants. The leaves develop dark brown spots which enlarge to affect all of the tissues, patches of greyish fungal growth appear on the underside and asexual spores (conidia) are soon released to spread the infection. Black streaks appear on the stems. The spores are capable of penetrating the cuticle so wounding is not necessary for infection to occur.
The disease requires moist conditions to thrive - the asexual spores die in dry conditions. It has been found in decomposing leaves after nearly a year.

There are no chemical controls named for the domestic use against Box Blights, but penconazole can be used for garden fungal infections, so it may have an effect.

Hygeine is the main treatment, so all affected branches should be pruned out and burnt along with any fallen material around the base of the plant to remove any dormant sexual spores. Check any potential purchases before buying to avoid bringing it to your garden. Not all brown or dead patches are caused by Box Blight, it could be caused by dog or tom cat urine if it is at the bottom of the plant, as they 'territory mark' the same spot repeatedly and this scorches the leaves. If the dead area occurs suddenly and not gradually this could be the reason - the blight tends to develop slowly.

Back to article on Plant Diseases

© DOWN GARDEN SERVICES - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Copyright Notice