Dying Privet shrubs
By Ship4brains
Kansas,
United States 
Good day. I have several golden privet hedges in my yard that are struggling/dying this spring. They are about 7 years old and have always thrived until this year. My observations: All of last year's growth is dead. There are leaves sprouting, but on older growth only. Several areas where leaves have sprouted, the leaves/growth have wilted and dyed. This wilting takes only a day or two to complete and the leaves are gone. It's like the branch has been cut from the plant. Live leaves and dying leaves can be found on the same branch. I see no obvious signs of fungi or bugs. I initially thought frost was the culprit, because we did get a few nights of frost but it's been warm the last week or two. The degree of damage varies from one shrub to the next. Photos show what appear to be healthy leaves and damaged growth. I'm pretty upset about this, and worried whatever this is will spread to other plants in my yard. I do have several other Privets in my back yard that are only 2 years old. I do NOT want them effected. HELP!
27 Apr, 2015
Answers
I didn't see any mushrooms or toadstools. I will check for the odor this evening. Will there be any other obvious damage? Will a fungicide help? Thank you!
27 Apr, 2015
This concerns me....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verticillium_wilt
27 Apr, 2015
scrape some of the bark off the dead bits, does it smell strongly of mushrooms? did you get a golden yellow toadstool at their base in the Fall? if it yes to either question then they have honey fungus. if so the remove and burn them and plant a resistant variety of shrub. The RHS website has a list of resistant shrubs and trees.
Welcome to GoY too.
27 Apr, 2015