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Roses > Leaves > Discolored leaves

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  • Powdery Mildew 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Powdery Mildew 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Powdery Mildew 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowPowdery Mildew
Sphaerotheca pannosa

  • Powdery white coating on leaves, stems, flower buds and flower stalks
  • Leaf tissue may be tinted red around the infection
  • Leaves can be twisted or curved at the site of infection
  • Infection often most severe on young leaves
  • Typically occurs mid to late summer
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  • Black Spot 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Black Spot 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Black Spot 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowBlack Spot
Diplocarpon roseae

  • Purplish black spots with uneven or feathery edges on leaves
  • Leaves turn yellow around spots
  • Leaves fall off
  • Sometimes reddish purple or black blisters on canes
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  • Roseslug 1
    Credit: Jeff Hahn
  • Roseslug 2

    Credit: Jeff Hahn

  • Roseslug 3

    Credit: Univ. of Wisconsin

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green arrowRoseslug

  • Occurs during May and June
  • Creates windowpane damage (i.e. feeds on one layer of leaf tissue between the veins)
  • Clear, lacey damage at first, later turns brown
  • Green, smooth caterpillar-like body, up to 1/2 inch long
  • More information on Roseslug...
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  • Spider Mites 1
    Credit: Baldo Villegas
  • Spider Mites 2

    Credit: Baldo Villegas

  • Spider Mites 3

    Credit: Jeff Hahn

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green arrowSpider Mites

  • Occurs during summer, especially during hot, dry weather
  • Leaves are a speckled, off-green color
  • As damage becomes more severe, leaves become a bronzed color
  • Yellowish or greenish color; found on underside of leaves; very tiny (1/50th inch long) and not easily seen without magnification
  • More information on Spider Mites...
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  • Iron chlorosis 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Iron chlorosis 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Iron chlorosis 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowIron chlorosis
Deficiency of iron in leaves

  • Leaves are pale green to white with darker green veins
  • Young leaves more affected than old leaves
  • In severe cases, young leaves are small and completely white
  • Common in rugosa roses
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  • Rust 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Rust 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Rust 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowRust
Phragmidium mucronatum

  • Orange raised bumps on underside of leaves
  • Twisted or bent leaves, with orange lesions
  • Powdery orange spores released from all lesions and spots
  • Severely infected leaves may wilt
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  • Virus 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Virus 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Virus 3

    Credit: David Zlesak

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green arrowVirus
Rose Mosaic Virus

  • Unusual yellow wavy lines, circles, spots or mottling on leaves
  • Symptoms are most obvious in cool weather in spring and fall, may become faint in the heat of summer
  • Leaves can be leathery, wrinkled or distorted
  • Plants can be stunted or grow poorly
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  • Rose Streak 1
    Credit: David Zlesak
  • Rose Streak 2

    Credit: David Zlesak

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green arrowRose Streak
Rose Streak Virus

  • Symptoms are most common on roses with large clusters of small flowers
  • Symptoms may vary in other cultivars
  • Leaves turn yellow and may have random dead brown spots
  • Leaves fall off in the spring or early summer
  • Very susceptible cultivars have brown to black streaks on the canes
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  • Rose stem girdler 1
    Credit: Jeff Hahn
  • Rose stem girdler 2

    Credit: Jeff Hahn

  • Rose stem girdler 3

    Credit: Jeff Hahn

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green arrowRose stem girdler

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green arrowSalt burn
Excessive fertilizer or deicing salt

  • Edges of leaves are brown and dry
  • Roots are dead and brown from the tip back
  • Plants are stunted and have slow growth
  • Common in plants close to roads or sidewalks, and in heavily fertilized plants

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