Boxwood Volutella Blight

What it looks like

Leaves fade from green to bronze to tan, and bark starts peeling back on affected stems with branch dieback. Unlike true boxwood blight, you won't see black streaking cankers on the stems—that's the key difference.

Often mistaken for: True Calonectria boxwood blight (look for black stem cankers, which this disease lacks)

When it shows up in the Triangle

Shows up spring through fall, especially when stressed or wounded plants meet damp conditions.

Where you’ll see it

Affects boxwood, and has also been seen on pachysandra.

What you can do

• Prune out dead or discolored wood promptly
• Improve airflow around and through the plant by thinning dense growth
• Avoid wounding branches during maintenance
• Protect plants from winter desiccation stress
• Sanitize pruning tools between cuts to avoid spreading it