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Dying trees and bushes #879435
Asked July 30, 2024, 1:49 PM EDT
Wexford County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi, thanks for the question.
The Lilac seems to be suffering from Pseudocercospora infection Both this and Septoria leaf spot of lilac (related but not the same pathogen as in tomatoes). Are fungal infections that cause leaf spots on common lilacs. These come with wet humid conditions. By removing diseased leaves and dropped leaves from the area and destroy them you can remove a lot of the pathogen that can infect the tree. Pruning to allow good air circulation will also help. Check out the following links:
Summer Foliar Lilac Diseases | Yard and Garden (iastate.edu)
leaf-spot-on-lilac.pdf (missouri.edu)
Growing lilacs for Minnesota landscapes | UMN Extension
The apples appear to have a similar problem, most likely apple scab. It is important to remove and destroy dropped leaves and keep tree properly pruned for air circulation. Appropriate fungicides can be use at green tip. Check out the following links:
Apple scab of apples and crabapples | UMN Extension
How to Prune Neglected Apple Trees | Yard and Garden (iastate.edu)
I hope this helps.