Why does my Hydrangea have brownish spots on its leaves?
By Katherine Smith, CMG
The good news is: your hydrangea will not perish because of the brown spots.
The bad news is: your hydrangea will not look as beautiful as it did last year.
Hydrangeas are relatively pest free. But, fungal leaf spot pathogens can affect most varieties of these plants. The most common for hydrangeas is the Cercospora hydrangea fungal pathogen. Because of the different types of hydrangea, leaf spot symptoms can vary. The spots are scattered across the leaf surface and are usually small and circular with purple or dark brown halos. However, these spots can even be angular or irregular in shape. The fungal leaf spots usually appear in the late summer and early fall. Hydrangeas planted in sunny locations seem to be more susceptible to Cercospora.
The good news is: your hydrangea will not perish because of the brown spots.
The bad news is: your hydrangea will not look as beautiful as it did last year.
Hydrangeas are relatively pest free. But, fungal leaf spot pathogens can affect most varieties of these plants. The most common for hydrangeas is the Cercospora hydrangea fungal pathogen. Because of the different types of hydrangea, leaf spot symptoms can vary. The spots are scattered across the leaf surface and are usually small and circular with purple or dark brown halos. However, these spots can even be angular or irregular in shape. The fungal leaf spots usually appear in the late summer and early fall. Hydrangeas planted in sunny locations seem to be more susceptible to Cercospora.
Figure 1: Cercospora Fungal Leaf Spot on Hydrangea – UGA
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Figure 2: Cercospora Fungal Leaf Spot on Hydrangea –USNA/ USDA
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Posted: 7/31/2012
