What is Happening to My Butterfly Blue Scabiosa?

15 years ago

I just noticed a couple of days ago that my Scabiosa which was thriving since being planted last fall, now is decaying on one side and it seems to be taking over the plant. At first it was yellow and that foliage is quickly dying. New, emerging flowers are wilting. I have another one planted in a different location and it seems to be doing fine. It was such a vibrant plant that flowered all fall and even most of the winter. Is there any hope?

I live in zone 7 NC and it is planted in amended clay soil.

Here is a photograph: http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/scabiosa.jpg

(A link to the picture is provided below).

(I will try to upload the actual picture into the message if I figure out how).

Many thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:240116}}

Featured Answer

kimnc7
Original Author

15 years ago

Thank you for your response. I never saw anything that looked like mildew on the leaves and I just reinspected them and do not see evidence of the mildew now. From what I observed, leaves turned yellow very quickly, over the course of a couple of days, and are now dead - crispy brown only three to four days later. There are healthy looking leaves and now dead ones. I don't see any obvious insect activity (eating leaves or eggs).

It seems as though it the problem might be found in the roots? I just don't know what to look for. If I pull up some roots what should I look for? Should I immediately pull this plant or try to revive it? I realize this depends on the problem. Could soil pH have something to do with this? It seems like a long time for a pH problem to manifest but my soil is very acidic. It seemed to thrive in it for months (quadrupled in size since planted in the fall) and put on an amazing bloom earlier this spring. Or perhaps it is the heavy clay soil (even amended) that is getting to it, finally?

Any additional suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (11)

echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
I suspect powdery mildew. Check out the link below. I'm not sure since the pics are small, but these plants are known to get this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Powdery Mildew
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tasymo
15 years ago
I may be wrong, but I beleive Scabiosa requires good drainage and likes sandy soil.
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kimnc7
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks tasymo, I do agree, but it thrived for nine-months in my amended soil and my other one (in similar soil) is doing fine. I will try to take some detail photos today and post them.
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kimnc7
Original Author
15 years ago
Here, as promised, are some additional photos. For an even larger view, click the photo.

Thanks!

{{gwi:240123}}

{{gwi:240124}}
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echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
This looks like someone Round-Upped your plant! I mean this is horrible. My dad sprayed some round-up near my climbing vines and they looked just like this. I can't be sure, but if you have a family member who owns round-up, I'd ask them if they've been using it. My dad confessed and agreed to buy another yellow jasmine for me!

It also could be something eating the roots. I hope someone else can be 100% sure what's wrong.
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kimnc7
Original Author
15 years ago
Echinacea - Thanks for the suggestion. We are an organic family and don't use weed killers, but it does look as though someone had at it doesn't it? I will probably pull up some roots tomorrow and see what lies underneath.
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kimnc7
Original Author
15 years ago
I dug up the plant today (so sad) and am uploading a picture. The roots look intact but notice what appears to be mildew or something like it at the base of the roots. Since I never saw any visible signs of mildew on the tops of the leaves, is it possible that this is Downy Mildew?

{{gwi:240125}}

I don't know if this is of note, but there were many insects of one type in the root system. You can see one in the center of the picture. They appear very similar to roly-poly bugs, but I am not sure.

I guess my question is, does this seem like Downy Mildew? If it is, is there any hope for saving this plant - replanting it, removing foliage etc.? Or should I just get rid of it as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading? It is out of the main bed now and I placed it in the ground in a "quarantined" area away from my beds.

Thanks for your help!
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njmomma
15 years ago
I've never had luck with scabiosa so even though I like how they look, I resist temptation to buy one again. I consider them annuals in my garden! :)
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faerycat
15 years ago
I'm not sure what's happening to your scabiosa either. It sure does look like powdery mildew. And the bug looks like a roly-poly/wood louse (or as we always call them around here, pill bugs) to me. I have a lot of them in the damper areas of my garden and always thought they were kind of cute, then I found out that, in addition to helping break down dead and dying organic material, they also eat the eggs of harmful insects like stinkbugs. Yay!
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hinokimel
14 years ago
Our community garden groundskeeper looked into this because our beautiful sturdy plants didn't return this year -- for the first time in 4 years. He found that scabiosas don't like "wet crowns" and could have been badly affected by our long-lasting snows this winter. Hope this helps.
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