Winterberry sudden death

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betulo Moorestown, NJ(Zone 6b) Sep 16, 2013

I had been nurturing all through the summer a couple of winterberries after transplanting them to a better area of the backyard, where they wouldn't be hit by soccer balls continuously, and where there is more sun.

I had no hope for them surviving the uprooting and replanting, but as it turns out, by midsummer, their foliage was great, and as you can see, a couple of weeks ago, there was a lot of fruit.

So the surprise was to find these two bushes all shriveled up, with blackened leaves and fruit, practically overnight (it could actually have been over one week).

Any ideas?

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Muddy1 Vienna, VA(Zone 7a) Oct 11, 2013

Did you water them every few days afterwards? If you did, then it could be several other things.

It's quite possible that disease or insects, or both, are responsible. I recently planted winterberries, and they got scale insects and some sort of disease. In addition, deer browsed them the very first night they were out, so they were looking pathetic already. I sprayed them with Pyola and liquid copper fungicide (both awesome natural products from Gardens Alive), and put down Holly Tone, and they're bouncing back.

If some branches look better than others, you might have cut too much of some of the roots
Finally, is the new area near an oak tree by any chance? I tried to plant a few shrubs near an oak, and they died.

I would keep nursing them and see if they make a come back.

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Oct 11, 2013

Can you take additional closeup images? Take several of all sides of the base of the trunk and where the two main stems divide.

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