Pieris japonica problem

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Cearbhaill Russell, KY(Zone 6b) Sep 08, 2008

I know that Pieris are prone to root rot- is there a possibility of knowing if this is what happened to my plant?
This Pieris japonica 'Shojo" was installed last fall and has done very well until about one month ago. We had a very dry spell and I was watering twice a week, deeply. There are three others right next to it that are doing fine.
My soil is very slightly acid in the 6.8 range, and the site gets morning sun until about 10 am, bright indirect thereafter.

I am replacing this one- once. If it happens again I will relocate the remining three and call it a bust.
There are no insects apparent, although I did have lacebugs nearby. I caught them early and dealt with them.

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Cearbhaill Russell, KY(Zone 6b) Sep 08, 2008

And a close up-

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 08, 2008

Do you think you could have wound up giving it more water than usual by watering deeply twice a week during that dry spell?

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Cearbhaill Russell, KY(Zone 6b) Sep 08, 2008

Maybe more than usual, but not what I would consider too much.
I don't believe. The other three are right there with it and they got just as much.
Overwatering did cross my mind as it has been a fairly rainy year aside from the one dry spell- is that what it looks like?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 08, 2008

It could be--but it's often so hard to tell, lots of things can have similar symptoms. But watering issues are such a common problem and since these can be prone to root rot issues that would probably be my first guess (but I'm not familiar with what other diseases these are susceptible to). And it still could be too much water even if the other three aren't having problems, if it's a situation where you're borderline on the watering, if there's a slight slope, or if this plant had slightly less healthy roots to begin with for whatever reason it could be it was affected and the others weren't (but if there's been a pinch too much water all along, the others may start to have problems eventually, so I'd definitely keep an eye on things, check the soil with your finger before watering, etc)

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snapple45 Holland, OH(Zone 5b) Sep 08, 2008

I'd say phytophthora cinnamomi - a root rot. Look for shallow cinnamon colored roots which are brittle. It's a nasty disease. Should this be the culprit don't replant anything else in the same vicinity that would be susceptible.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/od13

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