Apple Blossoms - Ask Extension
Hello OSU Extension Office, I live in Medford Or 97501. This year 95% of all of my Apple Blossoms have dried up, the leaves are brown and curled at th...
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Apple Blossoms #931410
Asked May 11, 2026, 9:21 PM EDT
Hello OSU Extension Office, I live in Medford Or 97501. This year 95% of all of my Apple Blossoms have dried up, the leaves are brown and curled at the spot the Blossoms are/were. I dont know what happened. I didn't spray Copper and Hort Oil like I do every year. It was a busy Winter for me. I also didn't prune, I thought maybe the trees could use a break from the pruning. What can I do, and what may have caused this? Will my trees survive? 7 trees total in my back yard and rhe only one that didn't get hit waa the one that does apples every other year, it looks lush green and amazing. Any help or information that you can assist with I would really appreciate it. This is my 3rd submission for this question. The other two submissions didn't state the question submission was successful Thank You, Sam
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
Apple blossoms turning brown and wilting is most commonly caused by fire blight, a bacterial disease (Erwinia amylovora) that causes blossoms, leaves, and twigs to look scorched, often in a "shepherd's crook" shape. Other common causes include late spring frosts, fungal blossom wilt, or severe drought stress.
https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/apple-malus-spp-fire-blight
