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Home > Diseases > Trees and Shrubs >Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildews are caused by a variety of fungi, each specific to a host plant. It is recognizable by the patches of white fungal growth on the upper leaf surface. Commonly infected woody ornamentals include lilac, flowering dogwood, azalea, rose, and hydrangea. Flowering plants commonly infected include phlox, bee-balm, aster, yarrow, coreopsis, rudbeckia, begonia, chrysanthemum, dahlia, delphinium, snapdragon and zinnia. Since different fungi infect specific plants, it is not possible to spread from one species to another, for example, powdery mildew on phlox will not affect lilac.

Powdery mildew on apple leaves Powdery mildew on flowering dogwood Norway maple leaves with symptoms of powdery mildew
Powdery mildew on apple leaves. Powdery mildew on flowering dogwood. Norway maple with symptoms.
hydrangea leaves showing symptoms of powdery mildew powdery mildew on lilac powdery mildew on phlox
Hydrangea leaves showing powdery mildew symptoms. Powdery mildew on lilac. Powdery mildew on phlox.

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[Photos, left to right: William M. Brown Jr., Bugwood.org; Mary Ann Hansen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org; Andrej Kunca, National Forest Centre - Slovakia, Bugwood.org; Department of Plant Pathology Archive, North Carolina State University, Bugwood.org; Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org]

 
It is the policy of the State of Maine to minimize reliance on pesticides. The Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine IPM Council encourage everyone to practice integrated pest management and to use pesticides only as a last resort. The mention of pesticides in the fact sheets linked to these pages does not imply an endorsement of any product. Be sure that any product used is currently registered and follow all label directions.