fig problem - Ask Extension
This Celeste fig was developing normally. Then several leaves dropped off and the remaining leaves turned light yellow. One or two sections seem to st...
Knowledgebase
fig problem #867366
Asked May 07, 2024, 7:16 AM EDT
This Celeste fig was developing normally. Then several leaves dropped off and the remaining leaves turned light yellow. One or two sections seem to still be normal. I am unaware of any pesticide being sprayed in the area. I do not see any visible insects, but I haven't looked at them under magnification. Thank you for your help.
Dorchester County Maryland
Expert Response
While we can't determine the exact cause of the symptoms from the photos, it does look consistent with exposure to herbicide residues or drift. If no weed killer of any kind was used in the yard, perhaps a neighbor made an application that partially evaporated and drifted over on the breeze at some point while the fig leaves were still expanding for the season. If there are no abnormalities on the trunk (toothpick-diameter holes, for instance), then it's not likely an insect issue, and if a root infection were present, we'd expect that all foliage would look off-color instead of just a section of the shrub. For now, you can either wait to see if the affected portion grows out of the symptoms (the current leaves can't regain a normal color, but subsequent new growth might) or cut back all of the discolored branches. If the fig's root system remains healthy, regrowth should be able to fill in over time.
Miri
Miri