Native Plants

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Monday - October 19, 2015

From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Shrubs
Title: Need help for diseased Cherry Laurel tree in Houston
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

A couple of weeks ago the leaves on my decade old cherry laurel began to turn brown. Now they are entirely brown. I have not changed the way in which I cared for it, but about three days ago I noticed a green mold or fungus at the base of the trunk. I am assuming this is the cause of the demise of my tree. My question is, do I need to remove the tree or is the mold something I can cut out and nurse the tree back to health? When I scrap the trunk, it is still green underneath so it is still alive, but I don't know for how much longer. I will try to upload a picture of the mold for identification purposes.

ANSWER:

It is very difficult to diagnose plant problems from a written description, and photos aren’t always that helpful.

The first thing that you need to do is to determine what is causing your plant’s demise by having a knowledgeable person take a look at the plant. I would suggest contacting the folks at the Harris County office of Texas AgriLife Extension.

I am providing links to three sites that can give you more information about diseases in Cherry Laurel

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