Why Is My Golden Privet Brown?

Diseases

• Anthracnose is a fungal disease that infects the wood of the shrub, eventually cutting off the supply of nutrients to the plant. The leaves turn pale green -- and then brown -- from a lack of minerals. In time, they drop from the plant. Twig blight is another fungal disease, but this one infects the foliage -- in particular, newly emerging leaves. Infected leaves may not open, or they may be stunted. Often, they appear shriveled and brown. The best way to prevent fungal diseases is to plant your privet in well-draining soil and give it plenty of space for air to circulate around the plant. Fungicidal sprays may help prevent twig blight, but the fungus that causes anthracnose lives in the soil.

Insect Pests

• The lilac borer burrows into the wood of lilacs and privets, cutting off the flow of nutrients to the leaves of the plant. The leaves turn brown and wilt. Mites also infect privet bushes. The privet mite in particular is quite damaging. These tiny bugs suck the sap from the leaves, causing stunted growth, curling and browning. Insecticides can be effective against both mites and boring insects but only if applied according to the directions on the package. Allowable insecticides vary by state, so check with your local garden center.

Environmental Concerns

• Overly wet soil can be deadly for golden privet. Excess water in the soil causes the roots to rot, severely limiting the intake of water and nutrients. Fungi that live in the water may also attack the roots. Although there may be a lot of water in the soil, it is not reaching the plant. The first symptoms are wilting and browning of the leaves. Edema is a problem caused by too much intake of water. This happens when there is a long period of cool, wet or humid weather. The leaves develop water saturated bumps that turn brown. The plant will recover from edema when conditions dry up. Plants may also recover from root rot if the damage is not extensive or is limited to just one section of the plant.

Shearing

• Ligustrum plants are often grown as hedges because of their compact, dense foliage. Many home gardeners shear their hedges -- cut off new growth -- to shape the foliage into a neat form. Unfortunately, shearing golden privet plants will greatly reduce the quality of the yellow foliage, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden website. It's best to let this plant develop into its natural form.