As the holiday season wraps up and you begin to put away your decorations for the year, be aware that certain perishable holiday items need to be disposed of properly. In particular, be careful of how you dispose of holiday wreaths and other garlands that contain boxwood sprigs.

Why the concern? Boxwood-containing holiday decorations have been found to be a potential source for the fungus that causes boxwood blight. This disease has been devastating boxwood plantings in the east for nearly a decade and was recently (starting in 2018) found in Wisconsin in both nursery stock and in home landscapes plantings. While documented cases of boxwood blight in Wisconsin have been relatively few, it’s important to do everything possible to reduce spread of the boxwood blight fungus. Boxwood is the most valuable woody ornamental produced and used in landscapes in the United States.

What can I do to avoid spreading boxwood blight?

When disposing of your holiday wreaths and garlands, check to see if they have boxwood sprigs. If you are unsure, assume that they do. Dispose of any suspect materials by burning them if that is allowed in your local municipality. If burning is not possible, bury the materials at least two feet underground (most likely impractical in Wisconsin in January) or double bag the materials in sturdy garbage bags and send them to the landfill.

For more information on boxwood blight and its management, check out this article on Boxwood Blight.

If you have a plant disease problem, you can use the Ask Your Gardening Question form or contact the UW Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) at (608) 262-2863 or pddc@wisc.edu.

By Brian Hudelson, Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic, UW-Madison