What Is Wrong With My Dusty Miller?

Are the leaves wrinkled or curled, discolored, stunted, and tend to fall off?

Are the leaves stippled and distorted?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Are the flowers discolored and deformed?

Does the plant wilts and tans, roots have pink masses on them?

Are the leaves covered with white powdery patches?

Are the leaves yellowing, wilting and, dying?

Are there any dark lesions on stems, roots may be rotted?

Are the plants missing?

Several species of aphids attack annual plants. 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.

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.

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.

These symptoms are most likely caused by Fusarium wilt. There is no cure for Fusarium wilt, so the infected plants should be destroyed. Do not plant new Dusty Millers or any susceptible plants to Fusarium wilt in the same spot for several years.

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. Any commercial fungicidal spray will protect your plant from further infections.

Yellow leaves that wilt and die usually indicate Root rot. This disease is caused by both fungi and bacterias. Poorly drained, overly wet soil promotes rot so choose well-drained sites and add organic matter to improve drainage. Remove and destroy infected plants. Solarize the soil before replanting.

Dark lesions on stems are caused by Stem rot. This disease can be caused by both bacterias and fungi. Remove and destroy all infected plants. Thin plants to ensure good air circulation. Water plants from below so the foliage can stay dry. Solarize the soil before replanting.

If the plants are missing, the culprits may be deers. Dusty Millers are toxic, so deers usually avoid them, but not always. Barriers provide the most reliable long-term protection from deers.

Some environmental issues might have caused an unhealthy look in your dusty millers. Growing dusty miller can handle the heat, but is best planted where afternoon shade is available during the hottest months of summer. The plant is adaptable to many soil types, but thriving in acidic clay to sandy loam soils.