Pieris Covered In Black Soot?

[rosyposy]

It is 'Forest Flame' (well it was, now it is more like 'back of the chimney') it was quite black last year but now it is horrendous, although it is now sending out new red shoots so it has not given up altogether. I have a smaller one about 6' away which seems fine but of course I am worried that the black soot will spread to it. Has anyone any suggestions please, rosy?

[Guilbert53]

A Search on "Pieris Black Leaves" or similar finds all sorts of things.

Here are two I found as an example

https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/282439/forest-flame

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/1186303-Help-Pieris-Forest-Flame-leaves-have-all-gone-black-and-sooty

Google is very good you know. Hardly a question you cant answer after a few searches with Google.

[rosyposy]

I know google is good Guilbert and I do use it, but sometimes I like the personal touch and maybe info from someone who has had the same problem, seems more friendly like.....thank you for replying tho' and for looking it up for me, I will certainly read them. rosy

[Chipchopper]

Sounds like 'sooty mould' which is a fungal desease that often grows on the honey dew which is secreted by aphids.

destroy infected material (burn if possible) then try to tackle the source of the problem by treating the aphids when they appear.

[rosyposy]

Thank you Chichopper, I will have a good look tomorrow to see what I can find :o( trouble is if I cut the black out there won’t be anything left of the shrub, it is about 6yr old so maybe should think about replacing it. I thought that there might be something easy to wash the black off but reading Guilberts link I don’t think there is.

[Chipchopper]

Hi Rosy,
Back to my earlier post re 'sooty mould' and reading through your original post again, about the unaffected 6' away, got me thinking that the honey dew that I mentioned (on which the mould grows) may have dripped down from a higher canopy of a tree or shrub, a lime or sycamore tree would be classic examples but other species may also be prone....just a thought,

[rosyposy]

Thank you all for replying. There aren’t any trees or any kind of leafy canopy anywhere near it chip chopper and when Iwent to have a good look this morning I couldn’t find any sign of any aphids or sticky residue on the leaves, just the Matt black. It will wipe off with difficulty but there are dozens if not hundreds of leaves affected, it is such a shame as the new red growth is lovely. It would take me forever and unfortunately I am plagued with ground elder too so decisions decisions.....thank you all for trying to help, rosy