DISEASE ID · FUNGAL DISEASE
Botrytis blight
Also called Gray mold, Botrytis blight of periwinkle, botrytis on roses
A fungus that leaves fuzzy gray mold on flowers, buds, and leaves. It is worst in cool, damp weather.
How to spot it
- Gray, fuzzy mold on faded or aging flowers
- Petals darken at the edges and wilt early
- Brown to gray round spots on leaves that turn fuzzy
- A puff of gray-white spores when you bump an infected plant
- On roses, sunken spots (cankers) on the stems
Why it shows up
Spores travel in splashing water and wind. Cool, damp weather, crowded plants, and old flowers and petals left lying around all help it along.
How we treat it
We will identify it on a visit and recommend the right fix. Most of it is cultural: clean up spent flowers and fallen petals, keep water off the leaves, and give plants room for airflow. If a treatment makes sense, we will talk it through with you.
What you can do
- Pick off faded flowers and rake up fallen petals.
- Water the soil, not the leaves.
- Do not crowd plants. Space them so air can move.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.
Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138