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Leaf Blotches on Sweetbay Magnolia

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Can anyone suggest what might be causing these leaf blotches on my Sweetbay Magnolia -- and what to do about it? The tree was planted three years ago and until now has always appeared healthy. The blotches are only on one side of the affected leaves.

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Comments (8)

User
8 years ago
Good question. I will wait for a response, I have one with SOME leaves that look just like your second picture. I myself am guessing it may have been due to my having hosed them down in sunlight, but only a guess. Been very, very dry here (NJ) so may have gotten more water on the leaves than normal under sunny conditions.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
lets see a pic of the whole.. is it just that one branch???

can we rule out lawn spray [looks like it] ... dog... etc ...

where are you.. and whats ambient weather been this year ...

ken
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Hi Kathy, Some plants just need several growing seasons before they really get established and 'fill out'. What is the overall shape you want the plant to be? Normally sweetbays form an upright oval shape. They eventually lose leaves further down. Some cultivars seem to be more dense than others. Perhaps density could be improved with selective pruning, but the plant needs to be growing well before that can work. We have one in our backyard that I've trained to one trunk and it's limbed up about 4 feet. I like that look. Yours look like multiple trunks and more 'shrubby'. You could try to selective prune a few longer branches and see if if fills in below. But really keep this thing watered this season and hopefully you'll see some improvement in vigor.
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what did you fill the planter with??? if soil.. then you might want to have a soil test done ... one might wonder about leaching from the brick and cement ... if the planter is rather new???? how is it watered... and does it have drain holes??? frankly .... last pic.. i would not waste my time worrying about it... it looks great for a large transplant less than a year ago ... and a little cosmetic leaf loss in the heat of summer.. wouldnt bother me all that much ... and dont get me wrong.... IDing .. and maladies is knowledge.. and knowledge is power ... but knowing what it is.. does NOT mean immediate action is requisite ... and do understand.. that often ... if the plant is stressed ... then stuff happens.. but the key is to solve the stress... the cause .. rather than attacking the result ... the leaf damage .. what has the ambient weather been this growing season... heat waves.. or torrential rains... if rain.. is the planter draining??? [drainage issue] if heat.. is the planter moist thru the whole root mass.. w/o drowning the plants roots.. [media issue] ken
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jean001a
8 years ago
Likely sunburn.
laceyvail 6A, WV
8 years ago
And it's late in the season. It's been dry and leaves have been falling for weeks now.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
The last picture looks like some sort of leaf mining pest which lays eggs within the leaf tissue. The caterpillar lives in there as it grows and then emerges.
Mike McGarvey
8 years ago
First picture looks like sunburn and the second picture looks like a leaf mining pest as flora said.

More water in the soil would have probably helped the leaf burn from happening. Water on the leaves would not cause that look.

Mike
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
8 years ago
I agree the two pix are different, and the last is a leaf miner. Not convinced of sunburn, especially with info provided. Looked to me at first glance like something in the water and applied overhead irrigation making it unhappy.
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
8 years ago
Where are you located? Has it been getting enough summer moisture? Agree last pic is leaf miner.

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