Is there any hope for my Viburnum trilobum??

Hi...just started planting bird-friendly shrubs and trees in my yard last summer--and this is my first discouraging occurrence!
This spring I planted 4 Viburnum trilobum that I mail-ordered from a nursery. I have kept them watered and taken good care of them. They looked good until about the beginning of August and then gradually they have gone downhill with the leaf spots. After a while the leaves with spots curl up on the stem and drop off. I was really looking forward to growing these, but is there any hope for this? I am in Zone 5b at 1800', we get a good amount of rainfall in spring, summer, and fall. The summers are very humid.
A couple of the plants have new growth and the new growth doesn't have spots....but the older growth below does. I guess the new growth will eventually get the spots too?

I read where applying basic copper sulfate as a dust to the foliage will help, but can't find this anywhere. Any advice would be appreciated, as I don't want to rip these out.

I also planted some Viburnum dentatum (Chicago Lustre) and they are doing great! But I wanted to have some variety and the V. trilobum looks good mixed with the V. denatatum.

P.S. Here is a photo of one of the plants that has new growth (unspotted), and then the older, spotted growth below!

Welcome to the group! If you get no replies, place the pics in another thread titled "Calling Kneevin and Vacuous Vulture" and you'll get some action!

Guy S.

I have leaf spot issues some years with this whole family V. opulus/V. trilobum/V. sargentii. I am not sure what environmental factors bring it on, but wet weather doesn't seem to be the trigger. Anyway, it doesn't appear to cause any lasting damage and they will return next year unscathed, at least to start the growing season. See how they do after settling in for a year. This group of plants doesn't do particularly well for me. More shade and water help keep them happy, but I have to admit that none have been that impressive yet.

I have no positives to add to the V. trilobum discussion. This and it's allies are problematic species in the high heat/humidity zone of the Ohio River valley.

I recommend planting more/diverse species of viburnums, so when some fail you still have plenty more performing happily.

That strategy also helps crowd out the inevitable invasive Quercus species.

OK, them thar is fightin' words!

(Earlymay, you're going to encounter a lot of friendly banter on this forum. Just take whatever I say as Gospel and ignore everything from the other two parties who responded. By the way, Kevin_5 is known as Kneevin due to his propensity to show off his knees via tattered duds, and Viburnbum Valley is known as Vacuous Vulture, or whatever else is the worst "VV" name we can think of at any moment! They are the resident experts on Viburnums here. And I'm known as Mr. Wunnerful or Mr. Oak to all intelligent life forms out there in forum land!)

Guy S.

Oh, man! I was hoping you'd all tell me about some relatively nontoxic dust that I could cover the leaves with that would cure my leaf spots. I was really excited about my Virburnums.

Oh well--I did plant some V. dentatum and V. prunifolium that are doing okay. I just think the V. trilobum has the prettiest foliage. Thanks for the reality check.

I guess I'll start looking at Viburnums that have "tougher" leaves, i.e. not the ones with thin, juicy leaves. I'm getting the picture about those!

EarlyMay,

I'm certainly not one of the big guns (Mr. Wunnerful, Kneevin or Vib Val), but I also live in a high heat/humidity zone. My V. trilobum are doing very well. They're close to the house in partial shade and I keep them well watered. I'm with Kevin, hang in there and hope for the best next year.

EarlyMay, I agree with you about the trilobums have the best looking foliage. My 2 trilobums that I planted this summer are doing well so far. They needed a lot of water when it was really hot & dry here, but they came through so far.

Bill

Thanks for the encouraging words about my V. trilobums!! I will remain hopeful.

Maybe...they are all experiencing transplant stress (I just planted them in early June) and by next year they'll be settled in and a lot more resistant to the leaf spot. I had planned to get whatever dust or spray would help the problem and try to clear it up....but I guess now I'll just take a wait-and-see approach.

It's nice to meet some fellow 'shrubaholics!'

I'm certainly no "big gun" on viburnums!
More of a pop-gun, or perhaps a pea-shooter . . .
Guy S.