Find Your Ask the Expert: I have a wild plum – its leaves started to curl
I have a wild plum tree – its leaves started to curl, then drop off and now it looks as if the tree is dying. Could it be a symptom of poisoning as we know our neighbor does not like the tree there?
Patrick
Is My Neighbor The Cause Of My Plum Curl!
April 28, 2008 by
Patrick,
Let’s take the neighbor out of the equation for a moment and look a natural possibilities first. Plum trees are susceptible to a host of natural issues. One of which is a fungus called Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera oxyacanthae). This is an air-borne fungus that attacks the leaves of the plum tree. First you will see a powdery looking substance on the leaf then the leaf will distort and curl upward. Sometimes the powdery mildew is so bad that it looks like you dusted you tree with baby powder. If this is the case you will need to spray your leaves with a fungicide with benomyl. Fertilome make an excellent one called Halt Systemic Lawn, Rose & Ornamentals. Your local garden center and nursery should have this product and be able to tell you how to use it properly.
If you are not sure if this is your problem, take a picture of the leaves and upload them through the Ask The Expert page and I will see if I can diagnose the problem.