I'm in San Diego County, inland.
On a hillside of clay I have a lovely, fairly elderly, pyrocantha. It
has lovely white blooms on it right now..
And - on some of the outlying bushes there is a white 'fluffy' sticky
white mold or mildew. Tiny fibres result and grow from a white sort of
haze which covers certain leaves and stems. It definitely changes the
color and health of the plant, and I left alone it will kill the
branch.

If there's any way I can avoid spraying a toxic substance (to the birds
who feed 10 feet away), Please advise. My dear, ambitious wife wants
me to take a pail of water and ammonia and wash the affected parts of
the plant, maybe with a brush! Shall I?

thanks ahead of time!!
Dick E.

Dick E. wrote:

I'm in San Diego County, inland.
On a hillside of clay I have a lovely, fairly elderly, pyrocantha. It
has lovely white blooms on it right now..
And - on some of the outlying bushes there is a white 'fluffy' sticky
white mold or mildew. Tiny fibres result and grow from a white sort of
haze which covers certain leaves and stems. It definitely changes the
color and health of the plant, and I left alone it will kill the
branch.

If there's any way I can avoid spraying a toxic substance (to the birds
who feed 10 feet away), Please advise. My dear, ambitious wife wants
me to take a pail of water and ammonia and wash the affected parts of
the plant, maybe with a brush! Shall I?

Lack of air circulation? Tried thinning the crown?

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 13:09:31 -0700, "Dick E."
wrote:

I'm in San Diego County, inland.
On a hillside of clay I have a lovely, fairly elderly, pyrocantha. It
has lovely white blooms on it right now..
And - on some of the outlying bushes there is a white 'fluffy' sticky
white mold or mildew. Tiny fibres result and grow from a white sort of
haze which covers certain leaves and stems. It definitely changes the
color and health of the plant, and I left alone it will kill the
branch.

If there's any way I can avoid spraying a toxic substance (to the birds
who feed 10 feet away), Please advise. My dear, ambitious wife wants
me to take a pail of water and ammonia and wash the affected parts of
the plant, maybe with a brush! Shall I?

thanks ahead of time!!
Dick E.

Funny mold, mildew or mealy bugs aren't usually a problem with
pyracantha, but your description sure fits. It is a poor idea to
offer a solution when the problem isn't firmly pinned down.

As for the ammonia it sure would take care of any mold or mildew. So
would clorox. But it would be lots easier to just dig up the plant
'cuz the ammonia or clorox would kill it.

zhan