Spotting on Plum Tree Leaves
The plum tree (Prunus salicina) matures to a height of 10 to 35 feet and provides numerous sweet fruits. This tree grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9 and thrives in many types of well-drained soil when it receives direct sunlight. While generally healthy, the plum can suffer from bacterial spot and cherry leaf spot diseases. Does this Spark an idea?
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Bacterial Spot
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Bacterial spot is a disease that commonly infects plum trees. This disease often affects plum trees that live in a climate that receives more than 20 inches of rain annually.
Symptoms of Bacterial Spot
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One of the symptoms of bacterial spot is small black spots or flecks that appear on the leaves and on the fruit itself. On the leaves, they will look like a water spot at first, and then the middle of the spot will fall out and leave a hole. The spots are usually along the outer edges or the center vein of the leaf. The disease can cause the leaves and fruit to drop off.
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Controlling Bacterial Spots
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The best way to prevent bacterial spot is to plant a cultivar of plum tree that is more resistant to the disease. If that is not an option, copper compounds and other spray applications can help prevent this disease.
Cherry Leaf Spots
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Cherry leaf spot is a disease caused by a fungus called Coccomyces hiemalis. This fungus is generally not killed in the winter and can survive from one season to the next in diseased leaves that have fallen to the ground.
Symptoms of Cherry Leaf Spots
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When a plum tree is infected with cherry leaf spot, small yellow spots appear. As the disease progresses, the spots turn brown and leaves fall off prematurely.
Controlling Cherry Leaf Spots
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Clean up any leaves that fall to the ground so they can't infect other plants. You can also use benomyl fungicide spray, especially when you have many trees.
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References
- Photo Credit plum image by sasha from Fotolia.com
