Sick tree!

Hi all,
I'm new to gardening, so sorry if this is a basic question.
I have a tree in my garden and it looks like all the leaves coming from one branch have died. Please see pictures attached.
It seems like the tree has some healthy leaves which are green and shiny, some leaves which have lots of white matt spots on giving the leaf a rough texture, and some leaves are dead.
Does anyone know what is wrong with the tree? Should I aggressively cut away the poorly branches?
Any help appreciated.
Many thanks!


Thanks again.

 

Hello Stew, what you've got there is an Eleagnus. The new growth in spring is white/silvery...that's normal. Those dead branches aren't, though. Yes, cut them out, back to a healthy branch...a clean cut flush with healthy wood. It might leave it looking a strange shape for a while, but with a bit of TLC...perhaps a weak liquid feed with a balanced NPK, it should put new growth on through the summer. Keep an eye open for pests...greenfly, caterpillars and snails!

 

Thanks for the advice and also identifying the plant. I've cut the unhealthy branch back so fingers crossed.
Thanks again!