Identifying and Treating Honeysuckle Diseases

Like many other plants you may grow, the honeysuckle is no stranger to harmful diseases. These diseases can take aim at the bark and leaves of this beautifully ornate plant. This article will show you how to identify many diseases associated with the honeysuckle and ways to get rid of them.

Leaf Scorch

Many plants can be victims of leaf scorch. The leaves of the honeysuckle will begin to yellow or darken between the leaf veins or along the margins of the leaf. Over time, leaves can become completely brown in color and wither when the leaf scorch is a severe enough case. This disease will cause many leaves to die during the summer months. Time is your best friend for recovery from this disease. In many cases the culprit is your fertilizer. Stay away from unnatural fertilizer and water the honeysuckle regularly.

Wood Rot

This disease is fungal in nature and can eat away at the bark of a plant. If you see wood rot happening on your honeysuckle then that means it is most likely infected in the core of the plant. The only real way to cure wood rot is by removing instances of its infection.

Sooty Mold

This is a very dark mold that first appears on leaves as a sort of black coating. It can also be found on the branches and fruits of the plant. This disease is not always deadly to plants and it gets its nourishment from honeydew left behind by insects. This honeydew is clear, sticky, and sweet which is dropped from insects to the plant. The sooty mold is carried by the wind and sticks to the honeydew. The sooty mold will begin to form strands and branches out from its small patch. You can wash the sooty mold from the infected areas but full control means having to control the insects.

Powdery Mildew

Several fungi can be classified as a form of powdery mildew but the treatment remains the same across the board. Powdery mildew will show up as a gray or white dust coating that can be found on the surface of the leaves. Powdery mildew, under most cases, can be rubbed off the leaf. Look for small white spots on the leaves. Over time these patches will grow until they cover the whole of the leaf. To completely rid yourself of this disease you can use a variety of commercial fungicides. Consult with a plant expert as to which you will need.

Hyadaphis Tataricae

These aphids survive by taking the liquid from the foliage attached to the vines of the honeysuckle. As they feed, they cause the leaves of the honeysuckle to curl up. This happens because the curling aids in the protection of new aphid eggs. Stems will soon look like tiny brooms. In order to cure the aphid problem you should remove the brooms before the end of the season. This will not only keep the aphis population from spreading but keep it down for the following year.