Lilac Issue - Ask Extension
Returned home from vacation and noticed my lilacs had deteriorated. The leaves look brown and wilted. Is this a fungus or is something else going on?
Knowledgebase
Lilac Issue #878003
Asked July 20, 2024, 10:19 AM EDT
Returned home from vacation and noticed my lilacs had deteriorated. The leaves look brown and wilted. Is this a fungus or is something else going on?
Lucas County Ohio
Expert Response
While it is difficult to accurately diagnose from the photos, it appears that your lilac might be suffering from Pseudocercospora fungus. As noted in this article, it is not likely to kill the plant unless infected multiple years in a row:
https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pro/PlantDiagnosticClinic/Docs/leaf-spot-on-lilac.pdf
Cleaning up dead leaves can help prevent future infections. This article lists some other common lilac problems and might be helpful if your symptoms don’t match those of Pseudocercospora:
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-08-05-whats-wrong-my-lilac-summer-foliar-diseases-lilac
If you want a confirmation of the problem, you can send a branch sample to the Ohio State University diagnostic lab (for a fee):
https://ppdc.osu.edu/submit-sample
Please let me know if you have further questions.
https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pro/PlantDiagnosticClinic/Docs/leaf-spot-on-lilac.pdf
Cleaning up dead leaves can help prevent future infections. This article lists some other common lilac problems and might be helpful if your symptoms don’t match those of Pseudocercospora:
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-08-05-whats-wrong-my-lilac-summer-foliar-diseases-lilac
If you want a confirmation of the problem, you can send a branch sample to the Ohio State University diagnostic lab (for a fee):
https://ppdc.osu.edu/submit-sample
Please let me know if you have further questions.
