What is going on with Boxwoods?!

Gardeners in our area have had their fair share of struggles this past year. One prominent one that has affected entire neighborhoods goes by the name of Volutella. This blight greatly affected many boxwood shrubs, attaching the stems and leaves of vulnerable plants which causes dieback.

Some fungicides labeled with ingredients like chlorothalonil, mancozeb, and thiophanate-methyl can help control disease development, although it is not a cure. Many gardeners have opted to remove their boxwood shrubs and replace them. We are suggesting that people replace their boxwoods with different types of shrubs if they are in an affected area to prevent further issues.

To help with the process of choosing other shrubs, we have created a list of suitable options for boxwood replacements. Here is the most up to date Boxwood Alternatives List.

If you are concerned about your shrubs, feel free to email pictures to gpf.maineville@gmail.com. We can assess what is going on, offer recommendations for replacements, and even get you on the schedule to have the plant removed and replaced by our team.

Here are some great resources to learn more about Volutella;

Volutella Blight of Boxwood - University of Kentucky

Volutella Blight of Boxwood - PennState Extension

Volutella Blight Disease of Boxwood - University of Maryland Extension