Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Friday - June 05, 2009
From: Cibolo, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders
Title: Rust-colored spots on Lantana?
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Mr. Smarty Plants, I live in Cibolo TX and my lantana plants are about 3 years old. They have done exceedingly well until this spring. The leaves have developed brown, rust colored spots and the leaves are dying--even on the new growth. I have trimmed it back twice, first thinking it was due to a freeze, but now I can't figure it out. Is it a mold; insects; fungus? And if so, what do I use to revive them?ANSWER:
The short answer is, we don't know what is afflicting your lantanas. There is a rust fungus that infects Lantana spp, but so far as we know it does not occur in Texas. Other possiblities are lacebugs, spidermites, aphids. Another possibility is herbicide damage. Sometimes desirable plants get damaged when weeds are being attacked with herbicides.
We recommend you take a plant sample - take an entire limb - to your county's Agricultural Extension Service office for analysis. You'll probably want to call first to make an appointment. If your county agent cannot diagnose the problem, he or she may advise you to send it to a lab for further analysis. Once they determine the cause of the problem, they can recommend an appropriate course of action.
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Failure to bloom of Campsis radicans in Elkins WV
June 28, 2011 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
We live in a very cool climate of West Virginia, in the mountains, and it seems impossible for our Campsis radicans vines to flower! Perhaps the growing season is too short? W...
view the full question and answer
Problems with Monterrey Oak in Austin
March 26, 2013 - We had a local tree service plant two Monterrey Oak trees on 4/2/2012. At the time we noticed that woodpeckers had had a field day on the trunk bark of both trees with the most damage being on the lar...
view the full question and answer
Need help with Wheeler's Dwarf Pittosporum
September 02, 2015 - We have about five Dwarf Wheeler Pittosporum plants. All of them are mature and were doing well. I was on vacation for a week or so and when I came back I saw of each of them is plant 90% dead. The d...
view the full question and answer
Brown leaf problem with herbaceous blooming plants from Greenfield MA
May 28, 2014 - I have 3 plants cimicifuga brunette and lots of astile planted near each other. Suddenly the edges of leaves have turned brown and shriveled and spread to entire plant, all of them. It has not been ...
view the full question and answer
Care and fruiting time of pumpkins
October 06, 2007 - This is my first year growing pumpkin. I have a good vine with flowers now & then, but I still don't see a little pumpkin forming. What am I doing wrong?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |