The clouds of smoke and raining ash are over, but for some common evergreen plants the damage has been done. Don’t worry, it’s most likely temporary.
The clouds of smoke and raining ash are over, but for some common evergreen plants the damage has been done. Don’t worry, it’s most likely temporary.
“With the heavy smoke that pushed air quality off the charts, we have seen unusual defoliation in plants,” said Jay Pscheidt, Oregon State University Extension Service pathologist. “Much of it was normal old leaf drop in response to stress conditions. What is new and concerning is the rapid defoliation of some species of sweet box (Sarcoccoca species), some holly (Ilex species) and possibly some burning bush (Euonymus species).”
Reports of defoliation came from many places in the Willamette Valley, including Eugene, Corvallis, Rickreall, Damascus, Milwaukie, Mollala and the Oregon City/Canby area. Plants in places that did not experience heavy smoke such as western Washington did not see this damage, including Seattle, Tacoma, La Connor, Bainbridge Island and Gig Harbor.
Continue reading at Oregon State University.
Image via Oregon State University.
