Expert: Edward Gulliksen - 6/20/2007

Question
I have 2 side by side burning bushes.  They were planted 15 years ago.  We are in zone 5, MI.  Within matter of days the leaves have dried up.  No Mites found.  Spotty light rust seen with microscope noticed.
This bush is dying fast.  My neighbor transplanted a Smoke tree/bush?? about 10 feet away.  That's the only thing that's different.
Thanks in advance.

George

Answer
George,

There is a type of anthracnose that will attack winged euonymus, but I have not heard of it so far north. I would recommend hitting them with a granular fertilizer, fungicide and just to be safe, miticide (two spotted mites are a cool season mite- they do their damage in the mid to late spring- you just don't see the damage until the hot weather hits). I have seen these plants drop all their leaves and regrow them in a few weeks, so they should recover.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen