The Northumberland County Virginia Cooperative Extension recently diagnosed several specimens to be afflicted with boxwood blight, which was later confirmed by Virginia Tech’s Plant Disease Clinic to be the first occurrence in the County.
Boxwood blight is a disease unique to boxwoods and direct relatives caused by the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata, resulting in defoliation and the ultimate decline of the susceptible boxwood, reported VCE summer intern Carolin Campbell. The disease largely spreads by the introduction of plants that are infected with (or asymptomatic hosts of) the fungus, but can also spread by spores on pruning tools, clothing, or anything else that contacts the fungus…