What is doing this? And what can I do?

17 years ago

There is something damaging plants in one section of my garden. The leaves are covered in pinhead size brown dots and the leaves are curling and getting brown. It is effecting a butterfly bush most severely. It is also attacking a coryopsis, pulmonaria, and coneflower. I have more pictures.

Image link: {{!gwi}}

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Comments (4)

remy_gw
17 years ago
Hi,
Are those raised bumps that are not part of the leaf?
Remy
Cathy_in_PA
17 years ago
Dleiter, you may want to check for four-lined plant bugs, which look somewhat like cucumber beetles. I get these bugs on my coreopsis, coneflowers, butterfly bushes, sage, and mums about this time every year. In my experience, different plants exhibit different leaf damage (sage=black dots). They will scurry to the underside of the leaf when the plant is disturbed. I sometimes "spot shot" with insecticidal soap or, gross I know, squish.

Good luck.

Cathy in SWPA

Here is a link that might be useful: Four-lined plant bug
dleiter
Original Author
17 years ago
Remy,

They dots aren't bumps, they are depressions. I never see any insects so now I'm wondering if it's something fungal.

Cathy,

I never see any bugs. Now it's spread to my lavendar and Nippon daisy.

I'm very frustrated. Thanks for your help.
remy_gw
17 years ago
Hi again,
I'm sorry no one has come up with an answer. I think it is something fungal also, because of how the leaves get worse and all brown. Bugs can make swiss cheese of leaves, but the leaves don't seem to curl up and die. But I don't know what exact disease is attacking your plants. I even searched for buddleia diseases and pests and came up empty.
Do you have a cooperative extension service, like how I have Cornell here, or a very good nursery near you? I would take samples in sealed plastic bags to be examined.
I hope you find an answer,
Remy