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Apple tree leaves yellowing and spotted - cedar apple rust?

8 years ago

Zone 9a, Pensacola, FL. Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet.

Third year. Stems all look perfectly healthy; however, the lower older growth leaves all have spots. Some yellow and fall off. All new growth is spot free.

One tree is 15' and just ridiculous in growth. Produced two baby apples the second year. Produced 6 small-medium apples the third year. Apples looked and tasted great. Other tree is much slower to grow; flowers way early yet somehow pollinated the other tree. The slower one has a flower on it now for some reason.

Ignore? Remove leaves? These trees were free and I was ignorant about how much trouble apple trees could be at the time of planting them. I'm not against cutting them down or attempting to graft something else. I only hesitate because of just how big and fast one of the trees is growing.

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
i am not much impressed with leaf damage. in fall .. on a deciduous tree ...

you are probably best off talking to the fruit nuts in the fruit and orchard forum ... they are a whole world apart from us.. on tree care ... not that you wont get an ID here .. its more along the lines of the IPM that fruit growers use ... integrated pest management ...

i quit growing fruit because i lost interest when i found out.. you had to spray the trees 3 to 5 times a year. .with a variety of products ...

ken
A J thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
It's not cedar-apple rust. Looks more like scab, a fungal issue than can affect both apples and pears although many disease resistant varieties available. I'd take samples of the affected leaves into your local extension office for an accurate diagnosis and the best methods to treat this problem in your area - appropriate treatment and timing can vary by location and I have no idea how prevalent this may be in FL or what they recommend.

FWIW, scab does not necessarily require treatment. It depends quite a lot on how severe the disease is and how much leaf loss occurs as a result. My favorite apple variety - Gravenstein - is extremely prone to scab, yet I grew it for years and never, ever sprayed. It lost some leaves during the season but nothing drastic and scab seldom does anything more than blemish the appearance of the fruit - it remains totally edible. So spraying fruit trees is NOT a requirement if you are able to tolerate less than pristine looking trees and fruit.
A J thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
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Thanks mes111, the linked article made the process very easy to understand. I had tried to be as organic as possible and used sulfur this year but I will be using Immunox next spring. From what I have read, ( and what I experienced last year on my trees,) older trees can be devastated by CAR. Unlike younger trees, older trees don't grow many new leaves after spring and the danger of CAR infection is past, and so, are not able to store up engergy through the leaves for the next year. Last year, all the leaves were covered with CAR and most dropped by late summer. Looks like the same will happen this year. Is there anything I can do to help the trees compensate for the damage done to their leaves? Should I try to remove any apples that are left on the tree? Would doing any pruning and water sprouts removal encourage some new leaf growth? Should I fertilize?
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That is Cedar Apple Rust or CAR. We had dry spring. That could be why CAR showed up later because we got wet later this year. You have a lot of fruit trees. Many experienced posters who used to posted here have moved to a new forum. I am not allowed to mention its name here. If you google Scott Smith plus Growing fruit, it will lead to his new foru, Many experts on how to treat fruit trees for diseases and bugs there will be able to help you. If you do not check that site out, my answer to you is to spray it with Immumox by Specracide. It is a bit late but it will help. Next year spray first spray at petal fall and may be 1-2more time 10-14days apart.
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A J
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My area is well away from any fall weather effects. 1-2 months.

I guess I will just let it go. I don't care about what the tree nor fruit looks like. As long as I get a few edible apples a year, I'd be completely happy. Thanks everyone.

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