Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Ailing Rhodo and Laurel - Doctor Needed!!!, 1 by Cheryl_103

Cheryl_103 wrote:
Hi everyone,

Pittsburgh butting in here.
I've also got a suffering Mountain Laurel. There are two trunks side-by-side. As you can see on the photo, one whole bush has wilted, turned brown & crispy, and is obviously a goner. I figured it was a fungus; last year noticed black spots on some leaves & sprayed with an antifungal soap. Also fed with a rhody food. This spring it looked fabulous, loaded with buds (hardly any last year) and I anxiously awaited it's blooming. But suddenly that one side stopped bud growth, and as the other side started blooming & putting forth vigorous new growth, the other side gave up the ghost.

Hubby blames the hose-end plant food sprayer I used. I blame the insane weather change we had here: from below normal (frost & all!) throughout May, to suddenly in the 90's & humid as all heck. My poor azaleas, which had just started to bloom when the heat hit, just wilted all their white flowers. :(