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Roses > Stem > Dying stems

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  • Canker 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Canker 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Canker 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowCanker
Several different fungi

  • Dead branch within otherwise healthy plant
  • Light colored blotches or patches, often with a reddish purple border, along dead stem
  • Some patches may have flaky, loose or cracked epidermis (surface layer)
  • Tiny black bumps may be seen on dead area of stem
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  • Winter injury 1
    Credit: Dave Hansen
  • Winter injury 2

    Credit: Dave Hansen

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green arrowWinter injury

  • Occurs in spring
  • New growth emerges then wilts and dies as weather turns warm
  • Dark streaks visible in wood if bark is scraped away
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  • Winter Kill 1
    Credit: Dave Hansen
  • Winter Kill 2

    Credit: David Zlesak

  • Winter Kill 3

    Credit: David Zlesak

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green arrowWinter Kill

  • Stems fail to leaf out in spring
  • Stems are evenly brown and dead, with no unusual discolored patches
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  • Rodent Damage 1
    Credit: David Zlesak
  • Rodent Damage 2

    Credit: David Zlesak

  • Rodent Damage 3

    Credit: David Zlesak

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green arrowRodent Damage
Rabbits, mice, voles, and other rodents

  • Leaves fail to leaf out or leaf out very poorly in the spring
  • Bark is removed around the base of the cane and there are signs of chewing or gnawing
  • If chewing occurred in the roots, plant may be wobbly and loosely anchored in the ground
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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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  • Gray Mold 1
    Credit: Michelle Grabowski
  • Gray Mold 2

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

  • Gray Mold 3

    Credit: Michelle Grabowski

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green arrowGray Mold
Botrytis cinerea

  • Small red rings or flecks on white or light colored petals
  • Brown irregular spots on petals
  • Completely brown, curled over, dead flower buds
  • Brown sunken area on stem
  • Gray fuzzy spores produced in cool wet weather
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green arrowVerticillium Wilt
Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium ablo-atrum

  • Tips of young canes wilt
  • Leaves turn yellow, then brown and then fall off
  • Damage starts on the lowest leaves first and then moves upward
  • Canes die and turn brown from the tip down
  • Purplish black streaks occur on stems before they dieback

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