Black Spot Attack
By Louise1
Somerset,
United Kingdom 
For the past 2 years now my Escallonia 'Crimson Spire' hedge has had severe attacks, has dropped 90% of its leaves and gone through the winter looking like a deciduous plant.
It shows the spots in late autumn and drops the leaves continuously until almost bare, young and old leaves are affected.
The neighbour opposite has the very same hedge and it's not affected at all.
My question is .... how can i prevent this from happening for the 3rd winter running ? (and why isn't the neighbours hedge affected?)
6 Aug, 2009
Just noticed this question - I haven't really got an answer, except to say what a pain - it does look like some kind of black spot/fungal infection. As its a hedge, its impossible to increase the airflow round the plant, as one would with roses. I know you know all about clearing away leaf drop, etc, and probably you've tried spraying with fungicide already - I'd try Roseclear 3 (if you can use it on this shrub) think its double dose the first time for fungal infections, and it means spraying regularly (probably every fortnight) throughout the Spring and summer next year. I don't know why your neighbour hasn't got it, except that you say he's "opposite" which presumably means his escallonia faces a different direction, with different local climate effects, and that might be why.
14 Aug, 2009