Question: My photinias seem stunted. Their green color is acceptable, but they just aren’t growing. What gives?

Answer: Check for those maroon spots typical of Entomosporium fungal leaf spot, but look, too, for signs of scale insects. They form a crusty mass on the twigs of photinias, and, given many months or even a year or two, they can take away all the photinias’ native vigor. For the record, scales are far less common than Entomosporium.