leaf curl! brittle leaves! possible causes? HELP!

14 years ago

I am a daylily fanatic and have been growing them in my Wilmington, NC, garden for about 12 years without problems. Yesterday, I noticed that two daylily plants had curled leaves shaped like a whorl or a corkscrew curl! The curl seemed to start from the base of the plant, not the tip. There were several leaves on each plant that were not curled, though. Two of the leaves had a very small tan streak -- maybe an inch or two long. The curled leaves were very brittle, so I feared that the leaf curl might be the result of a disease or pest.

I was immediately worried about daylily rust, but the photos of daylily rust on the internet don't seem to match what I am seeing, so far.

I heard that aphids could cause leaf curl, but I did not see aphids.

We've had a dry spring, but we've had other dry springs and I've still never seen anything like this.

I dug up the afflicted plants, put them in a pot away from the garden, just in case they harbored a disease that could spread. I quarantined the shovel and gloves and washed my gardening clothes. I hope that I have been overcautious and that this isn't as dire as it seems.

Daylily season is my favorite time of year. I should start to see blooms before the end of May, so I'm hoping this problem does not spread. Does anyone have any thoughts of what might cause this kind of leaf curl and brittleness?

Thanks,

Sandra

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Comments (6)

weedyseedy
14 years ago
Try Googling spring sickness of daylilies and images of same, there are several sites including research----my computer skills are not up to putting a link---maybe someone can do that--------------------------------Weedy
gardenfanatic2003
14 years ago
I wonder if it could be cool nighttime temps?

Deanna
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weedyseedy
14 years ago
One opinion ( among several) is that cold or frost after they start to grow causes it, but it's probably more complicated than that.It's one of those things that once you get reading the research you may not really want to know that much about it. It is a pain and a frustration sometimes as no one seems to know what to do about it either, and the one seedling I grew that my wife likes proceeded to have one fan twist over and deform, Why is it always a favorite that comes down with something??--------------Weedy
sandyfrances
Original Author
14 years ago
I finally figured out how to post photos in the message. I've also attached the Photobucket link, if you want to see more photos.

Looking at the photos makes me realize the discoloration of the leaves may be a bit more of a problem than I initially thought. The photos also show just how pronounced is the curl.

I've been wondering if this problem could be result of spring sickness, leaf streak, rust, or drought. Photos of those issues online don't seem to show exactly what I'm seeing in my plants, so let me know if this looks like something you recognize.

We have had a colder year than usual and it has been very dry.

Thanks,
Sandra

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Here is a link that might be useful: daylily leaf curl problem
blue23rose
14 years ago
I have seen some of this in my garden too. Seems like some are more susceptible than others, but I believe they did okay last year.

Below is a site that was linked in the AHS pages relating to spring sickness. Last update was in 2002, but the information is still useful.

Vickie

Here is a link that might be useful: Daylily Spring Sickness Task Force
leedroca
13 years ago
It looks like you have white flies - use 1/2 tsp Bayer Rose & Flower Care per plant. The flowers can be damaged if they're not controlled early.

Don't overdo this stuff as it's fertilizer too and will burn.

leaf curl! brittle leaves! possible causes? HELP!

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weedyseedy

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leaf curl! brittle leaves! possible causes? HELP!

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