What Is Wrong With My Elderberry?

Are the leaves and petals pale, silvery?

Does the plant has wilted tips that are hollow and easy to break off?

Is the foliage yellowing in places, growth is slowed, large seeds are produced?

Are the buds black, malformed, or dead, the plant looks weak?

Are there sunken wood or flesh on the trunk or stem?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Do the leaves and stems have black to brown spots on them?

Do the leaves wilt, curl and turn brown, usually in the shaded part of the plant?

Pale, silvery elderberry leaves, and petals are caused by thrips. Thrips are tiny, yellow to black flying insects. They hide under leaves and inside flowers. Severely infested plant parts should be pruned off and destroyed. Control thrips by introducing lady beetles or lacewings. Insecticidal soap helps in severe infestations.

Borers are known to cause problems for elderberries. These pinkish, up to 2 inches long larvae enter the branches on the top and tunnel down. In fall, remove dry leaves as they might carry borer eggs and destroy badly infected plants in spring. In spring you can also dust the base of the plants with pyrethrin to kill emerging larvae.

These symptoms usually indicate a fungal disease - Verticillium wilt. This soilborne fungal disease makes leaves yellow, wilt, and fall off before the entire branch dies. Avoid planting elderberries near strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants as they are susceptible to Verticillium wilt. Soil solarization may prevent the disease.

Tomato ringspot virus reduces an elderberry's vitality, usually resulting in a smaller harvest, and eventually killing the plant. It is one of the more serious diseases of elderberry. The virus usually travels through pollen transfer and soil nematodes called Xiphinema. Prevent this disease by testing your soil for nematodes before planting elderberry, and plant where nematodes aren't present.

Drought, flooding, and winter injury can leave elderberry plants open to canker-causing fungi. Symptoms may include wilting or browning of leaves. Prune out infected branches as soon as you notice them stop the disease from spreading and remove an entire plant if the canker reaches its trunk.

White, powdery patches on the leaves are caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining them and 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.

Spotted leaves usually indicate fungal leaf spot diseases. Some fungal spots are surrounded by flecks or black dots, their spore-bearing fruiting bodies. Often spots come together to form larger patches of dead tissue. Pick off and discard infected leaves. Remove dead leaves to reduce overwintering spore populations.

Thread blight is a fungal disease caused by Corticium stevensii. Leaves wilt and turn brown, usually in the interior or shaded portions of the tree. Dead, curled leaves cling to blighted branches, frequently in mid-branch, with unaffected leaves still appearing on both sides of the diseased area. Pruning to promote better penetration of sunlight and air movement may help. Prune out infected twigs and branches may provide adequate control.

Yellow to red, collapsing leaves are often signs of root rot. Root rot can be caused by overwatering or by poorly drained soil. Early in this disease, decreasing watering may be enough to save your plant. As the disease progresses, you may have to dig the plant. Water only when the top two inches of soil feels dry to the touch.