Help needed identifying shrub disease

[Dplant]

My HOA planted some new shrubs in my front yard a few months ago, and in the past several days, it seems to have developed a disease of some kind. Does anybody know what kind of shrub this is, and what disease it has? I live in North Carolina, and I first noticed the problem at the end of the last week when the weather got hot for the first time this year. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Meadowlark]

Welcome @Dplant

Has anyone applied "weed and feed" and/or other herbicide in the near vicinity

 

[Dplant]

Not to my knowledge. I doubt that's what happened because there are many shrubs in the area, and only the newly planted ones are affected. The older ones seem to be doing fine.

 

[Meadowlark]

That is expected with herbicides...the new ones are most vulnerable.

 

[oneeye]

Why would anyone spray herbicide in the open where the spray would harm the shrubs. I don't see anything in the photo that constitutes a herbicide kill. Dig around the base of the plants and feel the soil. It looks like they need more irrigation and soil care. Most of the time, herbicides only work with the temperatures are hot and the spray area is a large kill area. You need to water your shrubs more often.

 

[Owdboggy]

That is drought damage. The root balls are probably dust dry. I have found in the past that the top growth on big shrubs stops water from actually reaching the roots in the original compost. Drown them!

 

[cpp gardener]

I believe they are Ternstroemia and need more water.

 

[Dplant]

Thank you for the all replies. I dug around the roots a few days ago and found that the soil was somewhat moist but dryer than expected given the rain we have received the past 2 weeks. The leaves started turning brown a few days after we got rain, and the lawn is thriving without signs of drought stress. It would be a little surprising if the issue is drought damage in April, but since this is the best explanation I have at this time, I will give the shrub more water. I think herbicide from a source like weed and feed is very unlikely since there are only shrubs and no grass in the immediate area. Thank you, cpp gardener, for suggesting that this plant is Ternstroemia -- that looks like the correct identification for this shrub.

If anybody has any other thoughts or possible explanations for the brown leaves, please let me know. Thanks again for your help!

 

[oneeye]

Thank you for the all replies. I dug around the roots a few days ago and found that the soil was somewhat moist but dryer than expected given the rain we have received the past 2 weeks. The leaves started turning brown a few days after we got rain, and the lawn is thriving without signs of drought stress. It would be a little surprising if the issue is drought damage in April, but since this is the best explanation I have at this time, I will give the shrub more water. I think herbicide from a source like weed and feed is very unlikely since there are only shrubs and no grass in the immediate area. Thank you, cpp gardener, for suggesting that this plant is Ternstroemia -- that looks like the correct identification for this shrub.

If anybody has any other thoughts or possible explanations for the brown leaves, please let me know. Thanks again for your help!

I would prune all the dead stuff off the shrubs and pick up all the dead leaves just incase its a fungus. That way you can see if a disease spreads to the rest of the plant. If its a watering issue then it should perk up after a good watering. Keep the soil airated with a hand cultivator and use your finger to dig deep and feel the soil to know when to water until they recover.