ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaPlant Health Care
Written By Peter Morris

ANTHRACNOSE

 This is a fungus that infects a wide variety of ornamental trees and shrubs. Commonly affected plants include Japanese maple, dogwood (both shrubs and trees), oak, oak leaf hydrangea, Boston ivy, willow, and sycamore. 

Ornamental pink willow is very susceptible

 It is also a very common disease of commercially grown fruit plants like strawberry, papaya, and apples. 

SYMPTOMS

 Symptoms are observed on flowers, leaves, fruit, and stems. These vary on their expression and intensity depending on the host species. They may include round purplish spots on leaves, floral buds, and flowers. 

  Purple spots on leaves

 Flowers may become mottled and deformed. Many times the spots merge or converge.  Most just drop quickly without even opening. 

 Purple spots on flowers

 On stems they gradually intensify in color until they turn blackish. Spots can merge one into another forming large scarred areas on stems and twigs. 

Merging blisters on stems

 

LIFECYCLE 

 This fungus thrives under cool and moist conditions - it is particularly active in Spring and Fall. Spores form inside infected leaves and stems and are released into the soil and air as the plant debris decays. Many are directly sent into the air environment from the blisters on leaves, stems and twigs. Spores may survive in the soil for a period of several years. 

INFECTION 

 Severe infections often lead to early and complete defoliation of entire trees and shrubs. Many times infected shoots will suddenly wilt and appear scorched. Everything above the infection dies. The lower on the stem the anthracnose attacks the more stem and leaves will perish. 

Most tissue above the infection point will perish

 

TREATMENT

 It is possible to control Anthracnose by regular applications of fungicide during the growing season. The sooner you treat it the better. Many untreated plants perish in winter - indirectly due to leaf loss and low sugar production from the summer.However, the strongest deciding factors in the ability to ward off the disease - is the general health of the plant, and the stresses it is exposed to.  Containerized trees planted in poorly nourished soil invites trouble!  Improper watering habits, or placing plants in too low a light for them - makes them very susceptible. 

Containerized maple tree is an Anthracnose target !

 

If you see any spots on your leaves - Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

Our experts that can tell if they are from Anthracnose!

They are also NYSDEC licensed applicators and can treat them too !!!

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

 

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 51 YEARS !

   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK  

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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