help - dying cotinus

[campanula]

my friend's heart is breaking as her beloved smoke bush is dying. It was 2m x 3m, Royal Purple, I think, and was pruned in March. I laid Mypex landscape fabric underneath and mulched with gravel recently but the rate of death suggests something sinister. I have looked around the base and cannot detect any bootlace mycellium or toadstools and the area underneath the bark looked clean. The die-back starts at the growing tips and rapidly spreads back along the branch. It is uneven throughout the bush, affecting about a third so it will look like a dog's dinner if I prune out the affected branches. It is not damage caused by creatures, I think, and it is not mildew or anything like that. I keep thinking of various phytoptheras which can decimate box for example - is there such a disease to affect Cotinus specifically? As I was the one who wielded the secateurs, I feel responsible and guilty as my poor friend cherishes this particular shrub above all others in her garden. Any advice gratefully received. Cheers, Suzy

[campanula]

[Marley Farley]

  :( Hi Suzy, I managed to find this information, I don't know if this will help you out. Propagation Methods
Root softwood cuttings in June for best results.

Pruning Methods
To keep the plant shrub-like, cut all stems back to within 2-3 buds from the base, annually in early spring. For growing as a tree, in late winter to early spring, only remove crossing or wayward stems to maintain a healthy frame.

Pests and Diseases
Verticillium wilt may be a problem. Powdery mildew may be a problem on purple-leaf forms.
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/mildewpowdery.htm
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0901/verticillium.asp
Have a look at these two links they may shed some light for you. I hope you sort it out, guilt is a terrible thing, but I'm sure it is nothing you have done, You will get to the bottom of it & sort it out for her. Good luck. :(

[jennym]

That gravel wasn't salty was it? It is possible that flushing the soil may help.

[flowerlady]

Hi Suzy,

I used to have a Cotinus Shrub!

However a small persons skipping rope re-modeled it, too the whole of the top off and left one branch near to the base, growing at  right angles to the ground.

Last autumn, took my courage in both hands and chopped what was left back the the last remaining buds on the main stem.

I now have a very happy little cotinus shrub!!

My Mum-in-law always cut hers down to the ground and  I have to say that the colour of it every year was quite spectacular!

[flower]

Has anyone grown it from seed? ive taken some of the seeds off my smoke bush but cant find no info as to how to sow em ( or if you can) ???

[kentishchloe]

Chiltern seeds do sell cotinus seed but only the species. don't think named varieties would come true from seed - you might lose the lovely colour - cuttings or layering would be the way to go.

Suzy, any way you could take some cuttings off your friend's bush now so that at least if worst happens she'll still have a baby version?

[Val]

They're very difficult to take cuttings from, I expect layering would work better,Campanula did it give up the ghost completely, or limp along?

[Ceratonia]

Has anyone grown it from seed? ive taken some of the seeds off my smoke bush but cant find no info as to how to sow em ( or if you can) ???

I got seed to germinate, by the simple process of putting the seed in some compost in a tray, leaving the tray outside and forgetting about it for a year  :) Only a couple of seedlings from a fair bit of seed, though.

The instructions I had (but didn't follow) were to collect seed when fully developed, but when slightly green (ie before it dries on the shrub). It needs a couple of months warm stratification at 15C, then a couple of months cold stratification, then germination at 15C.

[montanum]

We seem to have the same problem here and have put it down to Verticillium wilt for which there is no cure. You are supposer to dig out the old plant together with soil from the immediete area. Also clean any pruning tools as it can be passed on in this way.  Do not replant with Catalpa, judas tree,cotinus koelreuteria, stags horn sumach,lime ,daphne, berberis, quince,apples ,pears or prunus.

[flower]

Thanks for that info ceratonia , sounds a bit of a carry on but i will give it a go  :)