What's the deal with the viburnum lentago?

I've had a nannyberry in a bed along with several other viburnums and native plants for at least 6 years. The exposure is full sun. The soil is clay verging on gravel towards the road (yes I live on a gravel road and this bed holds the corner of the lot), although the soil in the entire bed was amended extensively with organic material before planting and is top dressed and mulched every year or two. Anyway, everything in the bed has always done well until this year.

The nannyberry did not leaf out normally this spring. There are long branches that are almost entirely bare except for one or two clumps of leaves and/or flowers. Some branches are entirely bare, although they are still pliable. Some branches are more or less normal. It's not like something ate the leaves on the nannyberry, they just never emerged. I haven't seen any sign of borers, but I will go back and look more carefully if that's at all likely. Everything else in the bed, including a v. acerfolium, a v. prunifolium, and a v. dentatum leafed out normally and appear to be doing just fine. Any ideas on what caused this? Or, what to do about it? There is ample new growth at the crown. I've always just let the thing go its unkempt way (it's in a bed for the birds, afterall, and competing with polite plants like goldenrod and rosa virginiana). I'm seriously contemplating some pretty aggressive rejuvenating pruning by removing several of the older stems at ground level.

Mary, I've had several different Viburnum species do this over the years. They seem to get some wilt disease or something. I've never bothered to find out what it was -- heck, they're just lousy viburnums, it's not like they're oaks or something valuable! I just whack them back to the ground and let them start over. Usually they come back fine.

Guy S.

PS: This was a test -- let's see just how long it takes our two resident Viburnophiles to jump all over it! Hee-hee-hee!

Drought last year? V. lentago occupies wetlands here. Mine have suffered in drought or dry soil. Borers, wilts as Guy mentioned, varmints--all possibilities. I would grind up oak saplings and mulch heavily(take that Oakophile!). Seriously, Guy has the right idea. You can whack them to the ground and the suckers should rejuvenate the bush in no time as long as no systemic issues exist. No leaves wilting on the branches this year or last year? Just bare stems except for tufts of leaves? If so, root damage?

too-shay!

No drought last year, although the late winter/early spring was very dry this year and we've continued to have inadequate rain so maybe that's it. No leaves wilting on the branches this year or last -- just the tufts. Rejuvenation pruning it is. Alas, oak mulch might be a bit hard to round up.

Just kidding about the oak mulch.

I know, I know! So was I.

Mary, I know this place, way out in the country that has oaks galore! You could take a drive there and chop and grind to your hearts content. I don't think the very elderly man who lives there would mind at all! He's quite deaf and wouldn't hear your chainsaw or chipper anyway. Let me know if you need directions :o)

Can who ever goes to visit next bring me back some nice oak mulch for my newly planted Viburnums? I'd be most appreciative.

You women are sick.
SICK, I say!

Don't forget, everyone has shotguns "way out in the country" . . . and plenty of secret places to hide corpses of city slickers who just happen to get lost on their way to cut down oaks . . .

Guy S.

I think PGz5 goes next. And don't worry about him, he doesn't have any guns. I forgot to mention he's blind in one eye and can't see out the other. So, he'd never get a decent shot off.

Who gets lost?? My lady give me perfect directions. You're sick? Oh dear, I do hope you feel better soon!

Guy, we men will stand sholder to sholder to protect your oaks in the fierest battle. And if you get killed I will carry on the chipping with the victors. Hee Hee

Sofer, surely you meant to say the chopping with the victors?

Who's Victor?

Some poor guy with the misfortune to have been born with a Y chromosome, I would guess......

Ahhhh the Y chromosome. The only DNA function of this important guy is to improve the ability of MEN TO HUNT, and chase women. That I feel is the one thing that makes life continue and be challenging. Guy, I, as you have proven you are, am emotionally attached to every tree I climbed as a kid, tapped sap as a teenager, built forts under, swung on rope swings off, gathered leaves and waxed for science projects, Spit on passing cars from, sat in and slept, hung from a hammock, gathered seeds to grow, planted seedlings from......... and gazed in amazement of. Nobody gets to hurt anyone's forest while I'm alive. Arrrrrrrrrgh!
Here are some I sat in silence yesterday and gazed in amazement.

This message was edited May 18, 2006 10:41 PM