Why Do My Tickseeds Look Unhealthy?

Are the leaves, stems, and buds distorted and sticky?

Are the buds and leaves deformed or dwarfed?

Are the leaves stippled and distorted?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Are the leaves mottled and the flowers malformed?

are the flowers discolored and deformed?

Have the crowns and roots rotted?

Do the leaves have moist or brown spots on them?

Do the leaves have a powdery white coating on them?

Distorted stems, buds, and leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects can vary in color, green, pink, black, gray to completely white. They cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Deformed or dwarfed buds and leaves are caused by Four-lined plant bugs. These small yellow bugs have 4 black stripes on their wings. They are active in early summer. Control them by handpicking. Use pyrethrin on leaves for severe infestations.

Aster leafhoppers are greenish-yellow, tiny insects that feed on leaf undersides, giving the foliage a finely mottled look. Leaves yellow, shrivel and drop. Besides injury from feeding, leafhoppers transmit the disease aster yellows. Use water or insecticidal soap sprays to dislodge nymphs. Encourage enemies such as big-eyed bugs and parasitic wasps. For control of severe infestations, spray plants with neem or pyrethrin.

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves usually at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

Mottled or streaked leaves and malformed flowers are caused by Mosaic virus. There is no cure for infected plants. Remove and destroy all plants that have the symptoms of mosaic virus. Mosaic virus is spread by aphids so the best way of preventing the disease is to control these insects.

Discolored and deformed flowers are caused by Aster yellows disease. This disease is transferred by leafhoppers. There is no cure for Aster yellows, so the affected plants should be destroyed. Prevent the disease by controlling leafhoppers. Spray the plants with the insecticidal soap 3 times, once every 3 days.

Tickseeds can occasionally be infected by fungal and bacterial Crown rot disease. Crown injury and excess moisture during dormancy also increase the chances of infection. Choose well-drained sites. Add organic matter to improve soil drainage. Keep winter mulch away from crowns. Remove and discard infected plants and the surrounding soil.

Your plants might be suffering from Anthracnose or some other fungal leaf spot. Spots may enlarge rapidly, especially in wet weather. Destroy infected leaves or plants. Spray plants with sulfur to prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the weather is wet. Prevent problems by thinning plants to provide good air circulation.

White, powdery coating on the leaves is caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining any surrounding plants. Water plants from bellow to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed.

If leaves and stems have been eaten whole the problem may be deers. If deer frequent your property then your coreopsis are in jeopardy. Barriers provide the most reliable long-term protection from deers.