Got Nature? Blog

Figure 1: Peach trees showing symptoms of peach leaf curl caused by Taphrina

Purdue Landscape Report: The past two months have been relatively wet and cool to warm. This prolonged period of overcast conditions, high humidity, and light to moderate rainfall is perfect for some of our foliar disease issues.

“April flowers bring May Leaf spots” doesn’t have the right ring to it, but we are seeing quite a bit of leaf curl and leaf blister. These are two disease issues caused by Taphrina spp. fungi. Like the common names of their diseases, the symptoms caused by a Taphrina infection include leaf deformation.

Figure 2: Oak leaf blister symptoms ranging from light green early infections, changing to yellow and then becoming necrotic as the season progresses.

In the case of Peach, the leaves turn light yellow, bright pink, or red where tissue puckers and twists leading to curled leaves. In oak, leaves develop localized blisters that are light green early in the season and are easy to miss since the color is not very different from healthy tissue.

However, the blisters will turn brown later in the season which makes them more noticeable. Maples also get a disease caused by Taphrina, but it does not cause as much distortion as it does on oak or peach. Severe maple leaf blister can lead to leaves becoming slightly contorted, but the primary symptom is brown necrotic lesions.

With cool wet weather over an extended period of time, we have been seeing more foliar disease issues than in the last few years.

Figure 3: Symptoms of leaf blister on maple trees.

Since disease problems can take time to develop, Taphrina is likely just the harbinger for some other disease issues we may see in early summer if moderate conditions continue. If the weather dries out as it heats up, it will halt many of these foliar problems in their tracks.

Original article posted: Purdue Landscape Report

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Resources:
Learn How to Support Oak-Hickory Ecosystems, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Got Nature? Post
“The Nature of Oaks” Webinar, Indiana forestry & Woodland Owners Association
How to Find an Arborist Near You!, Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Post
Diplodia Tip Blight of Two-Needle Pines, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Boxwood Blight, The Education Store
Disease of Landscape Plants: Cedar Apple and Related Rusts on Landscape Plants, The Education Store
Planting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Aquatic Invasive Species, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)
Episode 11 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
What are invasive species and why should I care?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store

John Bonkowski, Lead Extension Administrator
Purdue Department of Botany and Plant Pathology