Diseased ceanothus

I had a CEANOTHUS (californian lilac) Shrub. Unfortuneately it has just died. There was a white powdery substance on most of the twigs and some of the main stem, Can anyone diagnose the problem and if so will it affect my other shrubs. TIA

 

The only white, powdery substance I can think of, is powdery mildew, and that should not kill a shrub. Can you give a better description? What did the foliage look like leading up to the plants death?

 

Hi David, Thanks for your interest. The foliage just went brown on part of the tree then this spread to the rest. I will try to post a picture.

 

Ron that would help, also, what is the ground like?

 

Ron it is reckoned by some that you only get 5-7 years out of a ceanothus although some of the hybrids are longer lived they secumb to root rot the white powder could be powdery mildew as David says a fungus which wont be the cause of its demise.

 

Thanks for your replies. It appears now that I have removed all of the bush that the roots were rotten and probably at the end of its life. So the white powder was probably mildew and thus a red herring.
(i have tried posting pics but for some reason can't, I have E-mailed the moderators for help) I will add pics for others info if I can. many thanks again.

 

Just discovered how to post pictures. This is the plant piled up for burning.