What Is Wrong With My Saltbush?

Are the leaves pale on their upper side and are there any dusty blisters on the undersides?

Are there any distinct lesions on the young green tissue

Are the leaves discolored and distorted?

Do the leaves have holes?

Are the leaves yellow and covered by small bumps?

Are the leaves yellow, branches, and leaves are covered with small bumps?

Likely cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease - Rust. Provide good air circulation around plants by thining them. Avoid making leaves wet when watering. All infected leaves should be removed. Spray leaves with sulfur early in the season to prevent rust or to treat mild infections.

Coniothyrium stem canker is caused by the Coelomycetous fungus, Coniothyrium zuluense. Coniothyrium stem canker first becomes visible as distinct lesions on the young green tissue. These lesions, often start as two parallel cracks, with a dead area between the cracks. These lesions may result in the complete girdling of branches, resulting in die-back. The only effective management strategy available against Coniothyrium canker is the selection and breeding of disease-tolerant material.

Discolored and distorted leaves are caused by leafhoppers. These small, green, or brown insects feed by sucking juices from leaves undersides. Insecticidal soap helps with severe infestations.

Several species of leaf-feeding caterpillars will feed on the saltbush 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.

Yellow leaves covered by small bumps are caused by scales. These tiny, shelled insects often feed on the undersides of the leaves, causing an unhealthy appearance with yellowish blotches on the upper leaf surfaces. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

Soft scales are known to attack saltbush. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

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.