White Patches On Leaves

[Vagus]

The five rose bushes I have in the back garden have started producing variegated leaves over the last week or so. Also what I think is a type of low growing laurel has some similar leaves just appeared.
I think it also happened last year to a number of plants but not the roses.
Any ideas what’s happening?

[woofgang]

virus at a guess https://www.google.com/search?q=rose+virus&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=ALeKk00o65ItVMLEnxtORREpxVAzB5LhmA:1616930011853&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjogO7X7dLvAhVOThUIHWGXB1sQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1435&bih=795

[pastafreak]

That's ^^^what I thought, or mildew.

[rowanwitch]

Bit early for mildew, I would guess a virus too, if it is dig up and dispose of all infected plants in normal rubbish not green waste or compost. Make sure you rake up all fallen leaves. Don't plant anything from the rose family in the same space for at least five years better ten.

[Vagus]

The roses were fine last year, in fact all really thrived and no sign of this white variegation, it was other plants which had it then.
Do you know if this rose virus also attacks other plants? Or is it the same virus on all of them?
Gosh,I hate the thought of digging the roses and other plants up and leaving everywhere barren for years :(

[woofgang]

read the RHS article. Some plants stand some viruses very well and you need do nothing

[tamborine]

I would pull off the leaves & watch new growth.

[tamborine]

My variagated hebe grow some green leaves & I just snip the green stems off.

[Chipchopper]

My first thoughts were 'powdery mildew' which can often occur in dry shade conditions, but this would usually be seen in the summer months.
Is it possible that some chemicals have been used nearby ?.
I’ve seen similar effects from weedkiller run-off from nearby paved areas.

[Chipchopper]

Another thought, I wonder if it could be frost damage ?

[rowanwitch]

Just replant with other types of plants, I only suggest really moving plants that have virus as it will be a reservoir and what doesn't kill one plant can be lethal to others. Roses could be replaced with things like potentillas, cistus, and mallows or hydrangeas, just as blousy and full flowering.

[Vagus]

It’s not mildew, I know what that looks like.
I’m pretty sure now that it is some kind of virus, having read the RHS site.
I don’t think it’s down to any of those, chip, apart from maybe frost damage but I’d be surprised. The leaves, and indeed the whole plant, are all very healthy looking, not dying, shrivelling or dropping off, just turning variegated.
I think we’ll see what happens as time goes on and the roses flower, and take it from there.
Thanks all, much appreciated.

[Chipchopper]

Vagus, please keep us posted, it'll be interesting to see what it is or find out what it is.
A virus seems a strong contender now.

[bhg481]

Are the roses in a position where they can have picked up stray spray from somewhere? We have roses all along our boundary with a public footpath; a few years ago the council sprayed the edge of the footpath to kill the weeds and we think some of the spray got onto some of our roses causing patches on the leaves. No permanent damage.
Incidentally, you can replace roses without waiting several years using Mycorrhizal fungi on the roots. We used it several years ago when replacing some roses and it worked.