Pacific Northwest Gardening: Bay Laurel problem, 1 by Gwendalou

Gwendalou wrote:
Someone has sent me some photos with this problem. Can anyone help?

"I have two bay shrubs (laurel nobilis) in my yard planted by me at the same time two years ago. They are about ten feet apart. One shrub has just taken off in growth within the last couple of months and is about 4 ft tall and 3 ft wide, the other shrub remains half that size and has new growth at the branch tips that yellow, then turn brown and browning proceeds down the branch until the entire branch is brown and dies off. This has happened to two branches, so far. Other branches also have new tip growth but leaves are also yellowed, although there is new growth at their tips too. I want to take action while there still are some remaining branches! Any ideas?"

He also mentions that there were 2 other 'infected' branches that he cut off that don't show in the photos.

Another friend of mine that I mentioned this problem to told me she had the same thing happen to a bay laurel that she planted. It completely died eventually.

Thanks!