Box blight
DISEASE
When it's active · UK
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Northern Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Central Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Southern Italy and islands
JFMAMJJASOND
How to recognise it
Brown, dying patches within box foliage, often starting inside a dense plant, with fine white fungal threads on the underside of affected leaves in damp weather, followed by bare dieback.
Life cycle and conditions
Spreads fast in warm, humid, still conditions, especially where plants are clipped when wet or planted too closely together.
Prevention
Space plants generously for airflow, avoid clipping in wet weather, disinfect tools between plants.
How to treat it
🌿 ORGANIC · RECOMMENDED
Cut out and dispose of affected growth well back into healthy wood, and improve airflow around remaining plants — this is the main and most reliable response available.
🧪 CHEMICAL · IF YOU CHOOSE
No reliably effective curative fungicide is available to amateur gardeners for box blight — prevention and prompt removal of affected material is the whole strategy.
PLANTS MOST AFFECTED
IN THE CARE SHEETS
Box