Rose leaves turning brown and yellow - Ask Extension
Hi, I have a La Ville de Bruxelles rose planted last year. The leaves are turning brown and yellow on the edges. What could be the problem, and how d...
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Rose leaves turning brown and yellow #910547
Asked July 20, 2025, 11:33 AM EDT
Hi, I have a La Ville de Bruxelles rose planted last year. The leaves are turning brown and yellow on the edges. What could be the problem, and how do I treat it?
Also, the rose seems to be suffering and is quite small still. It had a rough going with rose sawfly this summer for a while, and now this. Is there something I need to be doing differently for it to thrive?
Thank you!
Wayne County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Liz,
Can you send me a photo of the entire plant. What products (insecticides, fungicides, fertilizer....) have you use on your rose this year?
Pam
MSUE Master Gardener
Can you send me a photo of the entire plant. What products (insecticides, fungicides, fertilizer....) have you use on your rose this year?
Pam
MSUE Master Gardener
Hi Pam,
The plant is pretty small, much
less than a foot in diameter - close-up picture attached.
less than a foot in diameter - close-up picture attached.
This rose is struggling the most out of the ones I have. Multiple roses are showing brown tips on the leaves, however, even the ones I planted this season, which haven't received any granular fertilizer.
No fungicides yet. I used diluted fish fertilizer once this year, and a handful of granular fertilizer once, too, at a different time.
I spray this very heavily on foliage maybe every two weeks?
Thank you very much! Any advice you have about pesticide/fungicide/fertilizer application is very appreciated.
All the best,
Liz
Liz,
I believe you roses are infected with downy mildew. Check the undersides of the leaves for spores.
Downy mildew is caused by the fungus Peronospora sparsa. Contrary to its name, it really doesn’t look “downy” on roses. Symptoms on leaves vary from yellow, purple to brown irregularly shaped interveinal blotches surrounded by a yellowing of the leaves to a scorch-like burn. Downy mildew can defoliate a rose bush within a few days.
The spores are produced on the undersides of the plant’s leaves, but the effects are often first observed on the upper sides. Downy mildew also affects rose canes and stems where it appears as purplish, brown or black spots. Within three days of infection, damage can be observed on the plants, but in some cases, plants have been known to drop all of their leaves before any sign of the disease is obvious.
Prune your plants back to encourage healthy new growth, and destroy all cut material. Control with fungicides generally requires using some very potent and costly chemicals.
Here's a very good article on Downy Mildew and how to tell the difference from black spot on roses.
Downy Mildew - Marin Rose Society
Hope this info helps.
Pam
I believe you roses are infected with downy mildew. Check the undersides of the leaves for spores.
Downy mildew is caused by the fungus Peronospora sparsa. Contrary to its name, it really doesn’t look “downy” on roses. Symptoms on leaves vary from yellow, purple to brown irregularly shaped interveinal blotches surrounded by a yellowing of the leaves to a scorch-like burn. Downy mildew can defoliate a rose bush within a few days.
The spores are produced on the undersides of the plant’s leaves, but the effects are often first observed on the upper sides. Downy mildew also affects rose canes and stems where it appears as purplish, brown or black spots. Within three days of infection, damage can be observed on the plants, but in some cases, plants have been known to drop all of their leaves before any sign of the disease is obvious.
Prune your plants back to encourage healthy new growth, and destroy all cut material. Control with fungicides generally requires using some very potent and costly chemicals.
Here's a very good article on Downy Mildew and how to tell the difference from black spot on roses.
Downy Mildew - Marin Rose Society
Hope this info helps.
Pam
