I have a Corkscrew Hazel (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') that has developed these rows of raised brown spots (for want of a better word) along quite a few branches. The spring growth on those branches was weak and there has been no further growth this year on the branches infected with these spots. The rest of the shrub has grown normally. These spots are in rows with sunken brown tissue connecting the spots along the branch making me think it may be some sort of fungal infection but I don't know. I know they are not scale insects as they cannot be scraped off or squashed like scale. Does anybody have any idea of what this is and if it is treatable at all? Is it best to dig out the shrub or can it be cut back and treated with a fungicide or something else?

I think it may be Eastern Filbert Blight. The recommended treatment is to remove these branches 1-3 feet below the last canker and burn or otherwise remove the infected branches. This website has a lot of information on this blight including photos, susceptibility, treatment, etc. : http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantd...

Please let us know what you think.

I think that is exactly what the problem is. According to the article I have to cut the branches 1 - 3 feet below the lowest chancre which means that I would have to reduce the size of my shrub to about a foot tall and then spray with chemicals that are not available to the home gardener here in Ontario. Unfortunately I think the best thing for me to do is dig it out and destroy it and find something else for that spot.

Thanks OldGardener! You gave me the right answer right away, too bad it's not what I was hoping for but is exactly what I suspected would happen.