Phlox Fungal And Microplasma Diseases

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

In addition to merciless viral ailments, phloxes are often affected by dangerous fungal or microplasma diseases. Unlike viral diseases, they are treatable, but it is not always possible to save beautiful flowers. How to understand what kind of ailment has overcome your favorite flower garden? To understand this, it is important to have an idea of what the main symptoms of these devastating ailments look like

Powdery mildew

This attack manifests itself on magnificent phloxes usually not earlier than the beginning of August. First, on the lower leaves, and after a while on the upper ones, numerous spiderweb specks of whitish color and rounded shape are formed. Gradually, their number begins to increase, and after some time, these spots partially merge. In the case of a particularly severe lesion, susceptible leaves often curl and dry out quickly.

The decorativeness of infected phlox is sharply reduced, as a result of which the bushes almost always weaken and may even die.

Since the very first symptoms of an ill-fated illness often appear only on the lower sides of the leaves, you need to systematically examine all phlox growing on the site.

The development of powdery mildew is always promoted by the proximity of various provocative plants (shrub New Belgian asters, aquilegia, forget-me-nots, barberry, acacia, delphiniums, etc.), thickening of plantings and rather humid summer weather.

Rust

A fairly common attack, attacking mainly phlox with dark flowers and leaves. Roughly at the beginning of June, many specks of a rusty-brownish color begin to appear on amazing flowers, the number of which increases significantly as the disease develops. Phlox leaves gradually dry out and die off, as a result of which all plants weakened by the infection often die.

Septoriasis

This ailment has another name - leaf spot. Around mid-June, the surfaces of the lower leaves begin to become covered with tiny grayish specks, which are characterized by an irregular or rounded shape. Gradually, these spots begin to grow and turn yellow, and around them you can notice the appearance of edges of brownish-reddish shades. As their number increases, they begin to merge, as a result of which the affected parts of the leaves slowly die off. In the event that septoriasis covers about half of each leaf, the leaves begin to dry out.

To the greatest extent, varieties with crimson-red or pink flowers suffer from this scourge. As for phloxes with white flowers, they are much less affected.

Fomoz

This attack begins to manifest itself closer to the stage of budding and flowering. Moreover, it is most often found on plantings of the second and third years. The lower leaves of infected phlox first turn yellow, and then curl and dry out. The skin on the lower parts of the stems (approximately at a height of up to fifteen centimeters) becomes loose, corky, brown and covered with dense mesh of cracks. A little later, it cracks, and the weakened stems break off easily. In most cases, the spread of phomosis is facilitated by the use of material from unhealthy flower bushes for planting.

Jaundice

If all of the above ailments are fungal, then jaundice is a microplasma disease. Its main symptoms are discoloration and deformation of leaves, a noticeable lag in plant growth and the development of a huge number of lateral shoots on phlox stalks. And their stamens with petals gradually turn into characteristic leaf-shaped formations. In addition to phlox, jaundice also affects black currants, chrysanthemums, Gaillardia, mint, asters, etc.