What Is Wrong With My Japanese Pagoda Tree?

Are the leaves small, discolored, and drop early, clusters of honey-colored mushrooms may sprout at the base of the plant?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Have the twigs died back?

Are the parts of leaves withering and turning brown in a V-shape, plant growth is reduced?

Do the leaves have holes?

Are there any cankers with raised reddish-brown margins and light brown centers?

Armillaria root rot is a fungal disease that cannot be effectively controlled once it has become established. Diseased or dead plants should be uprooted and removed. Planting resistant rootstocks is the most effective method of preventing the disease.

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 below to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed. The appropriate fungicidal spray will protect your plant from further infections.

Twig blight is a disease that occasionally causes problems for pagoda trees. Prune off affected parts back to live wood. Spray plants with copper fungicide or lime sulfur fungicide when symptoms first appear and then every 10 days in wet seasons. Avoid overhead watering.

Potato leafhoppers are tiny insects that feed on leaf undersides, giving the foliage a finely mottled look. 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.

Genista caterpillars are a species of foliage-feeding caterpillars that feed on the Japanese pagoda leaves. They may also feed on stems, flowers, and fruit. Handpick and destroy caterpillars, or spray plants with BTK if caterpillars are feeding. Many foliage-feeding caterpillar populations are controlled by general predators, parasites, or naturally occurring viruses.

Occasionally, Scholar Tree will get a fungus canker about two-inches or less across, have raised reddish-brown margins and light brown centers. The infected stem is killed when the fungus girdles the stem. Prune out dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Protect the tree from frost injuries.

Mineral deficiencies can cause tip chlorosis or necrosis or cause foliage to discolor, fade, distort, or become spotted, sometimes in a characteristic pattern that can be recognized to identify the cause. When nutrient deficiencies occur, nitrogen and iron are the most commonly seen deficiencies. Apply only the mineral found to be deficient. Excess nutrients, on the other hand, cause symptoms like leaf tip dieback, marginal leaf chlorosis, necrosis (or burn), branch dieback, and pest problems. In this case, you should provide good drainage, and use good practices during fertilization and irrigation.