Echinacea damage - Ask Extension
Most of the coneflowers in different areas of my garden show this type of damage. Leaves appear faded, marbled and flowers are misshapen. Requesting h...
Knowledgebase
Echinacea damage #845871
Asked August 16, 2023, 8:22 AM EDT
Most of the coneflowers in different areas of my garden show this type of damage. Leaves appear faded, marbled and flowers are misshapen. Requesting help in identifying cause so can figure out how to treat. If they need to be removed can I replant in same area?
Harford County Maryland
Expert Response
You do not need to remove your plants.
The yellow, dotty-looking symptoms on leaves, called stippling, are from sucking insects. There are multiple possible culprits, such as mites, leafhoppers, etc. Mites often show up more heavily during hot, dry periods of summer, and other damage was by insects that are no longer there.
No treatment is recommended, but you can periodically wash down the plants with a strong spray of water and be sure to get good coverage of the lower leaf surfaces.
We want to avoid any toxic sprays in our landscapes to preserve beneficial insects and pollinators that help naturally beautify our gardens and control pest insects.
Most of this damage is minor and cosmetic, but you can keep an eye out for Aster Yellows symptoms, which you can see here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/aster-yellows-disease-flowers
If flowers develop those abnormal green growths, you would want to dig that plant out along with some of the soil and throw it out with the trash.
Christine
The yellow, dotty-looking symptoms on leaves, called stippling, are from sucking insects. There are multiple possible culprits, such as mites, leafhoppers, etc. Mites often show up more heavily during hot, dry periods of summer, and other damage was by insects that are no longer there.
No treatment is recommended, but you can periodically wash down the plants with a strong spray of water and be sure to get good coverage of the lower leaf surfaces.
We want to avoid any toxic sprays in our landscapes to preserve beneficial insects and pollinators that help naturally beautify our gardens and control pest insects.
Most of this damage is minor and cosmetic, but you can keep an eye out for Aster Yellows symptoms, which you can see here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/aster-yellows-disease-flowers
If flowers develop those abnormal green growths, you would want to dig that plant out along with some of the soil and throw it out with the trash.
Christine
