Dogwood Tree Disease Powdery Mildew

The white powdery growth observed for most of the season is the white mycelium and plant pathology fact sheet.

Dogwood tree disease powdery mildew. These are systemic fungicides as are bayleton and cleary s. Symptoms are small inch tan spots with reddish purple borders. Powdery mildew is a disease which is common on many ornamental trees and shrubs including dogwoods. Powdery mildew usually attacks dogwood from mid to late may until frost in tennessee.

Join virginia tech plant pathologist mary ann hansen as she discusses common plant diseases in virginia. The shoots are also killed in this disease. Banner maxx rubigan and eagle have provided better control over previously recommended fungicides. A related but different fungus phyllactinia guttata can also be found on diseased dogwoods in kentucky.

In the southeast powdery mildew on dogwood is known to be caused by two different fungi microsphaera and phyllactinia. Powdery mildew is a powdery white to light gray colored fungus that will grow on succulent stems leaves buds and flowers. Young plants and new growth are usually more severely damaged than older plants leaves or branches. Dogwood powdery mildew is mainly caused by the fungus erysiphe pulchra formerly microsphaera pulchra.

The infection is manifested in the form of leaf spots and stem cankers. The initial symptoms appear as medium to large purple bordered leaf spots and scorched tan blotches. Prune out dead limbs that might be harboring fungi but do not trim infected. This disease is caused by the fungus elsinoe corni one of the most common leaf diseases of flowering dogwoods.

The flower bracts are usually attacked first and then the leaves young shoots and fruit of dogwoods primarily during wet spring weather. Deprive powdery mildew of excess succulent dogwood growth to feed on by avoiding fertilizers with high nitrogen content. They are generally host specific. One of the very common diseases of dogwood trees is the dogwood anthracnose which is caused by the fungus discula sp.