What's wrong with my Piers?

United Kingdom

What's wrong with my Pieris?
It was growing extremely happily for decades (now 9ft tall) but in recent years developed odd mottling/splotching on the leaves, together with quite a few dead mini branches. Some of the mottling was pale turning the leaf sort of speckled, but some was brown/maroon splotches. Now this year there is a kind of mould as well. Last year we sprayed it with seaweed food which helped a little but this year it looks so sick! Could this all caused bit the same thing or are we dealing with 3 separate problems here?? Can anyone help please? It's my favourite plant.

On plant Pieris japonica 'Forest Flame'

18 Apr, 2018

Answers

Thrupennybit

Looks like soot a fungi wash and Neem oil is good for a deterrent.

19 Apr, 2018

Bamboo

I'd like to have seen under the leaves, but likely you have an infestation of Pieris lacebug; it could be a scale insect, but because you describe mottling of the leaves, together with yellowing or pale leaves, its probably Lacebug. Info and treatment here

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=663

Just check beneath the leaves and on the stems thoroughly though, to make sure there's not a scale infection at the same time (or instead), because the blackened areas might be sooty mould, (although what I'm seeing is not quite typical of that) and this can arise as a secondary symptom of scale or aphid infestation.

19 Apr, 2018

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