can you post a pic to confirm your guess???

or are you 100% sure???

ken

I am not 100% sure I called my ext office but will have to wait to speak with a master gardener that can help me.

I will attempt to post a photo right away.

Callie

If it is Verticillium wilt, there is nothing you can do. This pathogen is pretty much omnipresent but typically in a dormant state. In remains dormant or in hibernation until stimulated into activity by some manner yet to be determined :-)) Usually some sort of stressor on an susceptible plant. Once activated, it will remain so indefinitely.

The only way you can remove it is to remove ALL the soil and replace........obviously not practical. Sterilizing is also a option but again, not at all practical and resulting in a sterile, moonscape type soil that won't encourage the growth of anything.

Just replant the area with a resistant plant species.

That is what I was afraid of Gardengal. Here is a photo of the leaves of the best looking of the 3. The quality is so bad when uploading, sorry.

Doesn't look like VW to me. Take a sample in to your extension office - they should have a pathologist (not a Master Gardener!) there who can diagnose accurately.

Thank you! After researching I really hope that isn't it. But these guys still have got to go! I am going to take my soil sample in Monday but the woman that answered the phone did not seem confident they could test anything other than pH.

I also attached another photo of the plant that looks the worst. After taking a good look individual leaves don't look too bad but they're so scarce on the branches and branches are covered in small white spots you can see on the first photo (hopefully).

Concur does not look like Verticillium. Looks like some kind of deficiency...

Thank you for your input! I will have to do more research and see if I can get in contact with a pathologist.

Lightcyan, some state's Extension departments are fully supportive and others....not so much. The ID of your plant's problem can only be accomplished at the lab.....the soil lab and the pathology lab. Your Extension branch SHOULD direct you to both.

A soil test can determine if the problem might be a nutrient deficiency. The diagnostic clinic is the only way to test for some of the soil borne diseases that ligustrum are susceptible to. Your Extension people should assist you with everything you need to collect samples from soil and plant and should also pack it up and mail it from their office.

I wish we could see the "white spots ". Ligustrum are favored by several kinds of scale insects, so I'm curious.

Does the location of the plants remain moist....is it under irrigation?