What's wrong with this mume?
- Thread starter keithl
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Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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I honestly do not know. Off the top of my head I would look into "Peach Leaf Curl" but I don't have my plant disease handbook, that stayed with the farm when I sold the farm. Look at the underside of those leaves, where the spots are, are there insect bites at those points?
Can you see any insects on the leaves or crawling on the stems?
yes to the above, you have an insect, use a lens to magnify enough, see if you can identify. Otherwise a general purpose spray will usually work. For instance a Pyrethrum type spray.
Do the leaves feel "dusty"? Often indicates mites, spider mites, flat mites, two spot mites, and other sap sucking mites. These are technically arachnids, rather than insects, so an "insecticide" won't work, need a "pesticide" that lists mites on the label in order to kill mites. Mites are small enough I have trouble seeing them with my eyes, but I recognize the feel of a medium to heavy infestation, they give a dusty texture, especially to the undersides of leaves.
Actually, I do suspect thrips, they are quite small, Wikipedia has a page on them. They are more common as an indoor plant problem, but can be an issue outdoors or in greenhouses.
treat for thrips, only if that does not work try the treatments for the fungal infection peach leaf curl. Peach leaf curl only occurs in peaches, nectarines, almonds and apricots. Ume is most closely related to apricot, even though it is sometimes called a flowering plum. Peach leaf curl does not infect plums at all.
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Can you see any insects on the leaves or crawling on the stems?
yes to the above, you have an insect, use a lens to magnify enough, see if you can identify. Otherwise a general purpose spray will usually work. For instance a Pyrethrum type spray.
Do the leaves feel "dusty"? Often indicates mites, spider mites, flat mites, two spot mites, and other sap sucking mites. These are technically arachnids, rather than insects, so an "insecticide" won't work, need a "pesticide" that lists mites on the label in order to kill mites. Mites are small enough I have trouble seeing them with my eyes, but I recognize the feel of a medium to heavy infestation, they give a dusty texture, especially to the undersides of leaves.
Actually, I do suspect thrips, they are quite small, Wikipedia has a page on them. They are more common as an indoor plant problem, but can be an issue outdoors or in greenhouses.
treat for thrips, only if that does not work try the treatments for the fungal infection peach leaf curl. Peach leaf curl only occurs in peaches, nectarines, almonds and apricots. Ume is most closely related to apricot, even though it is sometimes called a flowering plum. Peach leaf curl does not infect plums at all.
Thrips - Wikipedia
Leaf curl - Wikipedia
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Mume/ume...is natural for leaf curl I thought Adair said it means it will bloom.
As to the foliage color. I had trees do that like my Gojo Berry I gave away...when Temps got cold yet no frost. The leaves took on a purplish tint.
As to the foliage color. I had trees do that like my Gojo Berry I gave away...when Temps got cold yet no frost. The leaves took on a purplish tint.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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One of the problems I have had with trying to grow Ume in the Chicago area WITHOUT a cold greenhouse is that we always get a warm spell or two in January. This late January thaw tricks Ume into thinking it is safe to grow. Then we plunge back into the deep freeze. 3 days of 50+F days followed by a return to zero F nights can be lethal to trees from island climates. Japan being an island, tends to get warm and stay warm in spring, the ocean moderating temperature swings. Here in North America, natives need several weeks of warm weather before fully "waking up". Japanese and other island species, tend to jump right to growing after only a few warm days in order to get ahead of competition, but in their native habitat, once it gets warm, it stays warm.
My several attempts with ume started growing during mid-January thaws, and then froze out a week or two later when February returned with brutal cold.
My several attempts with ume started growing during mid-January thaws, and then froze out a week or two later when February returned with brutal cold.
I honestly do not know. Off the top of my head I would look into "Peach Leaf Curl" but I don't have my plant disease handbook, that stayed with the farm when I sold the farm. Look at the underside of those leaves, where the spots are, are there insect bites at those points?
Can you see any insects on the leaves or crawling on the stems?
yes to the above, you have an insect, use a lens to magnify enough, see if you can identify. Otherwise a general purpose spray will usually work. For instance a Pyrethrum type spray.
Do the leaves feel "dusty"? Often indicates mites, spider mites, flat mites, two spot mites, and other sap sucking mites. These are technically arachnids, rather than insects, so an "insecticide" won't work, need a "pesticide" that lists mites on the label in order to kill mites. Mites are small enough I have trouble seeing them with my eyes, but I recognize the feel of a medium to heavy infestation, they give a dusty texture, especially to the undersides of leaves.
Actually, I do suspect thrips, they are quite small, Wikipedia has a page on them. They are more common as an indoor plant problem, but can be an issue outdoors or in greenhouses.
treat for thrips, only if that does not work try the treatments for the fungal infection peach leaf curl. Peach leaf curl only occurs in peaches, nectarines, almonds and apricots. Ume is most closely related to apricot, even though it is sometimes called a flowering plum. Peach leaf curl does not infect plums at all.
Thrips - Wikipedia
Leaf curl - Wikipedia
Thank you for all of the information! I dont see any insects and nothing feels out of the ordinary (dusty, sticky, etc). Peach leaf curl was my best guess as well after doing some internet searching, but it doesnt seem quite to match. Those all seem to progress into grotesque looking growths which hasnt happened. In fact, this basically hasnt progressed at all. It got these spots and turned the purplish red, and just has stayed like that. It hasnt gotten any better or worse... it looks pretty much the same now as when I first posted 10 days ago. No new leaves growing, but the old ones havent fallen off either.
Ill try a few insect/thrip sprays and see if anything works. Someone suggested to me it could be a nitrogen deficiency. What do you think of that? To be fair I did not fertilize it much last year, so I wouldnt be surprised if it was needing nitrogen. This year I have given osmocote plus and liquid fertilizer though.
KikurageOtomo
Shohin
I had a similar problem (Shot hole fungus? It manifests differently on each Prunus sub-genre) on one of mine last year and treated it successfully with Copper Fungicide treatment. This year I haven't seen an infected leaf and trees that were treated proactively did not get communicated the fungus.
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
What soil is it planted in? What variety of mume is it? do you notice any other trees in you care or landscape nearby showing similar symptoms?
