Boxwood Blight Education and Identification Training, April 21

Boxwood blight (Calonectri pseudonaviculata) is a new disease to North America. It is a fungus that targets boxwood (Buxus spp.), as well as Pachysandra and Sarcocca. It has been a problem for many years in Europe and New Zealand, and it was found for the first time in late 2011 in only three Oregon nurseries and four in British Columbia. Eradication efforts were initiated, but they weren’t successful. It was detected in a home garden in Coos Bay for the first time this fall. The incident in Coos Bay is the first instance of boxwood blight being detected on the south coast, and while there is currently only one known site of infection, we anticipate seeing more in the future. Jay Pscheidt, OSU Extension Plant Pathology Specialist, will be giving a boxwood blight education and identification training April 21, 2015, 1 p.m., at the Coos County OSU Extension Office in Myrtle Point. This free training opportunity is open to the public. We would encourage homeowners, professional landscapers, and especially Master Gardeners to attend. We will learn the basics of boxwood blight pathology, how to identify it, and how to differentiate it from other common boxwood diseases.