Shrub

9 years ago

Here is a small shrub that I just cleaned off. (It was half dead and mostly covered with black swallowwort until this morning.) Dead branches were up to 4 ft. tall, now pruned back to around 2 or 3 ft. Any ID?

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BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA

9 years ago

If it is a blueberry, you can prune the dead canes out entirely; its center looks pretty crowded anyways. The best time to prune is typically while it's still pretty dormant but not covered in snow (so around March, maybe early April), but dead stuff can be pruned out anytime, of course.

If your soil is acidic, it might just be unhappy from all the wet weather we had this spring depending on how well drained your soil is. You could do a pH test if you're not sure though - around 5 would be a good pH for blueberries.

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Comments (11)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
How large are the leaves? They look a bit like blueberry but might be too large.
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
9 years ago
Maybe 4 inches? I'm working from memory because these are not at my house. Smaller than hydrangeas. Approximately the size of rose leaves, I'm thinking. No sign of any fruit or flowers.
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Embothrium
9 years ago
Leaves like Vaccinium corymbosum but shoots going that far without taking jogs to the left or right doesn't seem usual for this. Also the arching orientation.

That said if your soil is not acidic the chlorosis of the leaves could also imply something like a Vaccinium.
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
9 years ago
These branches had been shaded and weighed down by the swallowwort, so they are paler and droopier than the few leaves that got full sun. This is at my kids' school so whoever planted it could have thought a blueberry would be nice around kids. The soil around here is acidic.
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
9 years ago
Here's one more if it tells you anything:
Embothrium
9 years ago
Shade does not cause chlorosis.
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
9 years ago
Ok. I thought they were sort of deformed new growth lacking chlorophyll from being "buried." What would be good for this, assuming it's a chlorotic blueberry? Holly tone? Or just allow it to grow/recover now that the weeds are cleared out? I'm fairly sure the soil is acidic since this is my neighborhood and everything is acidic around here.
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
9 years ago
I stopped by today and discovered some actual blueberries! Thanks again for the ID.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Since it is a blueberry, I would most likely give it some acid fertilizer like Hollytone now, but not later in the summer, to see if it looks happier. I find in highly constructed areas, sometimes the soil pH is higher than the surrounding areas with the lime from old cement If a contractor has dumped waste or rubble, or even if someone has dumped the water from washing out a concrete container.
Lalala (zone 6b) thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
I would most likely give it some acid fertilizer

==>>> there are other soil amendment that are not ferts ... and i would definitely not fert in fall .. you want it winding down for winter . not all hyped up ...

that said.. holly tone is so benign.. it probably wouldnt matter ...

many peeps grow these in pots.. so they can maintain proper pH ....

ken
Lalala (zone 6b) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5