Euonymus Green Spire Problems: Causes and Fixes

Euonymus scale

Tiny white or brown flecks along the stems and on the undersides of leaves, often with yellow spotting on the leaves above, are a sign of euonymus scale, a sap-sucking insect. Left alone, it can cause whole shoots to die back. See how to identify and deal with euonymus scale on Green Spire.

Notches around the leaf edges

Neat U-shaped notches cut into the leaf edges are usually adult vine weevil feeding at night. Read what causes notches around Green Spire leaves to confirm it and find out what to do.

Yellow leaves and leaf drop

Yellowing or falling leaves are usually a sign of stress rather than disease. The most common causes are waterlogged soil, the roots drying out in the first year after planting, or plants set too deep. Check the soil a spade’s depth down before watering: Green Spire needs moist but well-drained ground.

Brown or scorched leaves after cold weather

Brown, scorched or blackened leaves after a cold spell are usually frost or cold, drying winds, especially on young plants in exposed spots. Read whether frost- and wind-damaged Green Spire can recover.

White powdery coating

A white, powdery coating on young leaves and shoot tips is powdery mildew. It is most common in sheltered spots with still air and in dry summers. Cut out the worst-affected shoots, keep the roots evenly moist in dry spells and give plants enough room for air to move through the hedge.

Chewed shoots and stripped lower leaves

If shoots have been grazed or the lower leaves stripped, deer or rabbits may be visiting. See whether deer or rabbits eat Euonymus Green Spire.

For planting, watering and pruning advice that prevents most of these problems, see our Euonymus hedging care guide, or browse our Euonymus Green Spire hedge plants.