Hi everyone,

Help! I'm desperate. My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. It appears
on all young(er) shoots. There is some distortion, some (mostly) parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. The deposits don't show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering, yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. It is very subtle at this stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. Some shoots, however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these appear dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in the
plant. Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe, the same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible entry/exit
hole. However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of damage
blackened.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...09972487607730
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10684343508322
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10701671843986

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped well
with it, with a little help. It was vigorous and put on lots of healthy
growth and copious flowers each year. This afternoon, as I trimmed it back
(to almost nothing :~(( ), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper; a tiny pear-shaped beige casing which may have been a
parasitised insect or a pupal case, and several spiders.

It was not in this state when it came through the winter. There was some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. It had been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

"Spider" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

Help! I'm desperate. My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. It
appears
on all young(er) shoots. There is some distortion, some (mostly)
parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. The deposits don't
show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but
appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering,
yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. It is very subtle at this
stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. Some shoots,
however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these appear
dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in the
plant. Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe, the
same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible
entry/exit
hole. However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by
mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of damage
blackened.


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...09972487607730

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10684343508322

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10701671843986

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped
well
with it, with a little help. It was vigorous and put on lots of
healthy
growth and copious flowers each year. This afternoon, as I trimmed it
back
(to almost nothing :~(( ), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit
complete
with leaf hopper; a tiny pear-shaped beige casing which may have been
a
parasitised insect or a pupal case, and several spiders.

It was not in this state when it came through the winter. There was
some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. It had
been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any
ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

I feel sure that the Hebe Society http://www.hebesoc.org/ will be able
to help you, particularly in view of the fact that you have such good
photographs of your problem.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"Spider" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

Help! I'm desperate. My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. It
appears
on all young(er) shoots. There is some distortion, some (mostly)
parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. The deposits don't
show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but
appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering,
yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. It is very subtle at this
stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. Some shoots,
however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these appear
dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in the
plant. Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe, the
same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible
entry/exit
hole. However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by
mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of damage
blackened.


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...09972487607730

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10684343508322

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10701671843986

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped
well
with it, with a little help. It was vigorous and put on lots of
healthy
growth and copious flowers each year. This afternoon, as I trimmed it
back
(to almost nothing :~(( ), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit
complete
with leaf hopper; a tiny pear-shaped beige casing which may have been
a
parasitised insect or a pupal case, and several spiders.

It was not in this state when it came through the winter. There was
some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. It had
been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any
ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

I feel sure that the Hebe Society http://www.hebesoc.org/ will be able
to help you, particularly in view of the fact that you have such good
photographs of your problem.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.


Thanks ever so much, Emrys. I'll give that a try. I should have thought of
it, but I was panicking and beside myself with misery. Many years ago, I
met Graham Hutchins, proprietor of County Park Nursery and a top man in the
Hebe Society. With some luck, I may even be able to buy a replacement from
him. A couple of months ago, I stuck a handful of cuttings in the ground,
but there is no sign yet that they have taken - or, indeed, have escaped the
same affliction. My fingers are well and truly crossed!

Thanks again.
Spider

"Spider" wrote in message
...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"Spider" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

Help! I'm desperate. My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. It
appears
on all young(er) shoots. There is some distortion, some (mostly)
parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. The deposits don't
show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but
appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering,
yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. It is very subtle at
this
stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. Some shoots,
however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these
appear
dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in
the
plant. Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling
on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe,
the
same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible
entry/exit
hole. However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by
mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of
damage
blackened.



http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...09972487607730


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10684343508322


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10701671843986

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped
well
with it, with a little help. It was vigorous and put on lots of
healthy
growth and copious flowers each year. This afternoon, as I trimmed
it
back
(to almost nothing :~(( ), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit
complete
with leaf hopper; a tiny pear-shaped beige casing which may have
been
a
parasitised insect or a pupal case, and several spiders.

It was not in this state when it came through the winter. There
was
some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. It
had
been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any
ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

I feel sure that the Hebe Society http://www.hebesoc.org/ will be
able
to help you, particularly in view of the fact that you have such
good
photographs of your problem.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.


Thanks ever so much, Emrys. I'll give that a try. I should have
thought of
it, but I was panicking and beside myself with misery. Many years
ago, I
met Graham Hutchins, proprietor of County Park Nursery and a top man
in the
Hebe Society. With some luck, I may even be able to buy a replacement
from
him. A couple of months ago, I stuck a handful of cuttings in the
ground,
but there is no sign yet that they have taken - or, indeed, have
escaped the
same affliction. My fingers are well and truly crossed!

Thanks again.
Spider

I really hope that you are successful. Let us know how you get on.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

On Jun 6, 10:08*pm, "Spider" wrote:
Hi everyone,

Help! *I'm desperate. *My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. *It appears
on all young(er) shoots. *There is some distortion, some (mostly) parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. *The deposits don't show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering, yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. *It is very subtle at this stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. *Some shoots, however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these appear dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in the
plant. *Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe, the same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. *In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible entry/exit
hole. *However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of damage
blackened.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...#5344310701671...

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped well
with it, with a little help. *It was vigorous and put on lots of healthy
growth and copious flowers each year. *This afternoon, as I trimmed it back
(to almost nothing :~(( ), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper; a tiny pear-shaped beige casing which may have been a
parasitised insect or a pupal case, and several spiders.

It was not in this state when it came through the winter. *There was some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. *It had been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. *I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. *Any ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

Spider, can you ping Sacha, I have a feeling Ray might know about
this, I know Sacha has several Hebe.

Judith

"Spider" wrote in message
...

), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper;

Going down my garden today I was surprised to see cookoo spit everywhere.
It was not there yesterday.
I don't bother too much about it, tbh. I've never found it a problem for
any of my plants.

Tina

On 2009-06-07 23:13:46 +0100, Judith in France
said:

On Jun 6, 10:08*pm, "Spider" wrote:
Hi everyone,

Help! *I'm desperate. *My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. snip
Spider, can you ping Sacha, I have a feeling Ray might know about
this, I know Sacha has several Hebe.

Judith

I'll ask him about it, Judith. But Ray doesn't much like growing Hebes
here as he thinks they don't do well in the damp, wet, SW where they
get downy mildew too often. We have them as in we sell them but we,
ourselves, have few in the garden.
I've described Spider's to him and he says it might be leaf miner and
downy mildew - not too good, I'm afraid. But we couldn't get the pics
to load so we're going by description only.
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-06-07 23:31:26 +0100, "Christina Websell"
said:


"Spider" wrote in message
...

), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper;

Going down my garden today I was surprised to see cookoo spit everywhere.
It was not there yesterday.
I don't bother too much about it, tbh. I've never found it a problem for
any of my plants.

Tina

That was pretty much Ray's reaction, too. We have it all over the
place in the garden but simply don't have time to check over every
plant and worry about it.
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-06-07 23:31:26 +0100, "Christina Websell"
said:


"Spider" wrote in message
...

), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper;

Going down my garden today I was surprised to see cookoo spit everywhere.
It was not there yesterday.
I don't bother too much about it, tbh. I've never found it a problem for
any of my plants.

Tina

That was pretty much Ray's reaction, too. We have it all over the place
in the garden but simply don't have time to check over every plant and
worry about it.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...uckoo_spit.asp

In article , lid
says...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"Spider" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

Help! I'm desperate. My favourite Hebe has been afflicted by a
disease?/pest?/fungal problem? which has all but decimated it. It
appears
on all young(er) shoots. There is some distortion, some (mostly)
parallel
tunnelling, and some whitish powdery deposits. The deposits don't
show up
too well, but you can see the tunnelling clearly.

Early signs of the tunnelling do not show up on photographs, but
appear as
elongated areas of leaf surface separation, rather like blistering,
yet the
two surfaces are green and appear healthy. It is very subtle at this
stage.
However, the new shoot tip looks generally sickly. Some shoots,
however,
have produced tight green flower spikes, although some of these appear
dry
and brown (eventually black); some fall off while others remain in the
plant. Similarly, some dead (brown) leaves fall while other cling on.

The brown parallel tunnelling you see in the pics is, I believe, the
same
'blistered' area as above, but it seems older, dryer and sometimes
distorted. In one sample I saw (not pictured), was a possible
entry/exit
hole. However, this break in the tunnel may have been caused by
mechanical
damage to the brittle leaf.

Older and different samples show the tunnels and other areas of damage
blackened.


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...09972487607730

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10684343508322

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Spider...10701671843986

This hebe has had a history of black spot, but had previously coped
well
Sadly I have this and have had to stop growing Hebes, I think its a form
of downy mildew but then again it may be viral but what ever it is
it is nearly always fatal after time, as the weakened plants don't go
through cold winters
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Snipped ..

I feel sure that the Hebe Society http://www.hebesoc.org/ will be
able
to help you, particularly in view of the fact that you have such
good
photographs of your problem.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

Thanks ever so much, Emrys. I'll give that a try. I should have
thought of
it, but I was panicking and beside myself with misery. Many years
ago, I
met Graham Hutchins, proprietor of County Park Nursery and a top man
in the
Hebe Society. With some luck, I may even be able to buy a replacement
from
him. A couple of months ago, I stuck a handful of cuttings in the
ground,
but there is no sign yet that they have taken - or, indeed, have
escaped the
same affliction. My fingers are well and truly crossed!

Thanks again.
Spider

I really hope that you are successful. Let us know how you get on.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

Of course I will. Thanks again, Emrys.
Spider

Sadly I have this and have had to stop growing Hebes, I think its a form
of downy mildew but then again it may be viral but what ever it is
it is nearly always fatal after time, as the weakened plants don't go
through cold winters
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea


Oh dear, that doesn't sound promising, Charlie :~(, but thank you for
responding. If nothing else, it prepares me for the worst. I'm nervously
watching over some post-winter cuttings, but it's too soon to tell yet.

Spider

"Judith in France" wrote in message
...
On Jun 6, 10:08 pm, "Spider" wrote:

I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

Spider, can you ping Sacha, I have a feeling Ray might know about
this, I know Sacha has several Hebe.

Judith


Thanks, Judith. Done. Actually, The Hubby Thing did it for me while I was
gardening yesterday; he's so much more technical than me, thank goodness.
Well, he could hardly be less so!

This hebe is so important to us, we're both doing everything we can, so any
help is appreciated. Ta once again.

Spider

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Spider" wrote in message
...

), I noted several froths of cuckoo spit complete
with leaf hopper;

Going down my garden today I was surprised to see cookoo spit everywhere.
It was not there yesterday.
I don't bother too much about it, tbh. I've never found it a problem for
any of my plants.

Tina


Hi Tina,

No, it's not the most horrendous pest, but it is a sap-sucker and, like all
sap-suckers, it can introduce virus. Most people who find it unsightly
simply hose it off the plant. It's the first time I've seen it on this
hebe; usually, there are tortrix caterpillers and aphids, but at manageable
levels.

Spider

On 2009-06-06 22:08:05 +0100, "Spider" said:

snipIt was not in this state when it came through the winter. There was some
leaf spot and some frosted shoots, but these were pruned out. It had been
fed, watered and mulched about six weeks ago. I can't imagine it's
something I've done, but I just want to save it if possible. Any ideas
anyone?

TIA.
Spider

Just a quick thought that occurred to me when answering Simon's post
about manure. When you say you fed it etc., did you by the remotest
chance use any manure that might have been contaminated with that weed
killer?
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon