Black Spot?

Hi

A new member and quite a new gardener. My house had two shrubs when I moved in a few years ago, I think they are Euonymus fortunei Emerald n Gold?! Anyway, one of them is suddenly starting to die. I've had a close look and it seems to have both black and white tiny, tiny things on the stem - I say things, they're not spots, they are more long and thin, but still very very small, perhaps only a couple of mms maximum. They're not moving, but the stem is literally covered in them - anybody got any idea at all what it could be and how to get rid of it? they're about the same size as those little bugs that you sometimes see in picture frames after a hot summer.

I think looking at it the plant probably needs digging up and replacing for fear of it affecting the other one??

 

Here is a picture... and actually, they're a bit blobbier than I originally described!

 

It looks like aphids to me.
Any general purpose insecticide should kill them.

 

Black spot is a fungus that affects leaves. What you have there as Pete has said is an aphid infestation.

 

Ok thanks. I think I will dig the shrub up anyway as it's totally covered in them. Do you know what causes this of is it just one of those things?

 

Digging it up would be a bit of an overreaction. You can use a general insecticide or leave it and allow the hoverflies, ladybirds and money spiders to feast on them. Nothing "causes" it as such, it will run it's course.

I doubt this is why the plant is struggling-it's a small picture-maybe I am not seeing what you mean but it looks healthy enough to me.

 

Another good way is to attract ladybugs to your garden. If you plant cosmos (especially the white ones), coreopsis, and scented geraniums and dandelions they tend to come bit by bit. The good part is they tend to stay and go through up to 10 lifecycles in a year.

They're an extra bonus for kids! They love the little critters!

 

Thanks lollipop - I've cut it right back as it seemed to have started to die which is what drew my attention to the problem - it was covered in them all over so hopefully it will regrow healthily.

Adrian, I have heard you can buy ladybirds but I think perhaps cosmos might be a better idea - I'll have a look into that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Fingers crossed for recovery

 

Hi Adrian - another question - I've read that cosmos likes full sun but this is my front garden which faces NE so gets pretty much no sun at all - do you think it might be worth a try anyway or any other suggestions? Thank you.

 

Sorry HeyAdiran :/