*SOLVED* Fuzzy White Stuff Destroying my Shrubs? *PICS*

[S0rcy]

I've looked in several of my pathology books, but I do have to admit I'm kind of stumped. I just don't have enough experience in this area. A few classes doth not a pathologist make LOL. I think Pat has a good idea on this. My suggestion is to take your pictures and description to your local ag office, or email it to them. Here is the map for PA with the counties, you can just click on the county to get the office with address and phone number.

http://www.extension.psu.edu/extmap.html

Please do let us know if you find out! I would love to learn what it is so I have a reference.

 

[CritterHill]

It is leafing out and I see no damage to the leaves.

I will be really sad if I have to cut it down. I only planted it 2 years ago and this is the first year it is starting to flower!

I sent email to the extension folks. I'll report back if I get any answers.

 

[CritterHill]

Ok, the extension folks were very timely in getting back to me, but I have been having so many back to back emergencies, I haven't been able to get the sample to them!

I am going to try today... Dunno if that will happen, but I will try!

 

[CritterHill]

And the winner is...

POWDERY MILDEW!

He was surprised that it killed my wisteria - but in retrospect, the play house was installed right next to the wisteria the year it was having trouble, and I wonder if the truck didn't crush the roots...

The lilac with this issue (the one on the pics) does seem to be doing fine and even gave us our first flowers this year.

Yay for the PA extension service!

 

[Tutter]

Well, at least you have an answer. That's better than a mystery!

I'm glad that it seems to be doing well; I hope it continues to thrive!

 

[Buff Shallots]

I'm glad your mystery is solved. I learned something, because I thought powdery mildew only appeared on foliage. I've never seen it settle directly on woody material.

When I saw the photo, I thought mealy bugs too, like Pat...

 

[SharonM]

I just found this older thread. I've had the same problem for at least 3 years on my lilacs and it is spreading to my holly bushes as well. I tried a guaranteed white powdery mildew treatment several times on the lilacs, and it had NO effect. I do NOT believe it is white powdery mildew. I'm in the same boat where I need to take a sample to the Penn State Extension but haven't been able to do that. I would be curious to know if CritterHill's problem went away after treating for White Powdery Mildew. I also tried the year-round spray oil - no impact. I washed them down with baking soda and water and that helped, but it came right back. I've checked with a lot of different people - no one has any idea what it is but all agree it is not white powdery mildew. But this is the first time I at least saw pictures that look like what I'm dealing with. So, I hope CritterHill will post an update.

 

[so lucky]

CritterHill is not active on this forum anymore, but I would like to welcome you, SharonM.
I have had fungi grow on stumps and such, and it grows back in the same pattern when you remove it. But not on a living plant, like yours. When you get it to disappear with baking soda, does it come back in exactly the same spots/form/pattern? Does it grow over the summer, in size or number? Is the substance soft or firm?
There are several very knowledgeable folks on the forum now, so I bet someone will have an answer to your problem. I wonder if there is a scale insect that looks like that, other than mealy bugs.

 

[SharonM]

Here are some pictures of my lilacs in 2012. After I washed them down with baking soda water and it came back - it was NOT in any specific pattern nor did it necessarily go back in the same spots. As you can see, it just "grows" wherever it chooses. In the summer, it gets worse, continuing to move up the branches but never gets to the leaves. I thought perhaps it was bugs of some kind, so I tried the horticultural oil, but that didn't help either. And as I said, I tried the white powdery mildew treatment - and that didn't help. The company that guarantees the product I purchased said it is definitely NOT white powdery mildew. The leaves are unaffected. When it gets at its worst, it is soft and fluffy and falls off fairly easily to the touch. If I'm trying to trim or spray, and I brush up against it, it comes off onto my clothing. But I don't remember it blowing off in the wind. I'm not sure what else I can tell you about it. I don't have a camera that I can get a REAL closeup picture. I guess I'll just have to hope that someone at the Penn State Extension will be able to help me - and not just tell me it's white powdery mildew.

 

[CritterHill]

Through the magic of email notifications, I am back! Honestly this was so long ago, I can't recall much about this incident. The bush is still there so with or without my help, it appears to have won its battle with powdery mildew!

I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast. Trying to remember what I did with a plant 5 + years ago is beyond my mental capacity!