Besides having studied journalism, she has degrees in business management and biology. Scales are small (less than 1/8 inch long), and with close examination you can see the white, longitudinal ridges of the males and the dark oystershell shaped females. Repeated applications may be necessary with heavy infestations and should be targeted when the crawlers are most active. Symptoms. My purple sand cherry blossomed beautifully this year, and then suddenly yesterday I noticed that certain branches are covered with a sticky substance (honeydew?) It may be spread by wind, water and insects. A few of the branches only ... Q. It’s found in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 2 through 8. The leaves can become chlorotic due to leaf spot if there are lesions present, and the cherries can fail to develop if the cherry tree disease leaf spot progresses to severe levels. Medium Mature Width. Pests & Diseases: Japanese beetles are VERY fond of the purple leaf sand cherry, unfortunately. Hi. See pic here: By following the same directions, and being aware that the day and night temperatures must be above freezing, and no rain or high winds are in the forecast, spraying the overwintering nymphs will smother them. By rubbing the scales off the plant, their mouthparts are injured and they are unable to re-infest the plant. purple to black. In clay soil and full to part sun. Frost and herbicides can both discolor and kill leaves. Honey fungus is a lay term for armillaria (Armillaria mellea). Bud Color - Brown. It has an upright, spreading habit, with reddish-purple foliage and fragrant whitish-pink flowers. Water purple leaf sand cherry regularly during the first growing season. Leaf Length - 1 to 2 inches. It is important to note that repeated spraying with the oil can burn the leaves. Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006 « Prev thread: Purple Sand Cherry - sticky| Next thread: Purple Smoke Bush » Back to Thread index. Verticillium wilt causes wilting followed by yellowing, defoliating and die back. Diseases include honey fungus, verticillium wilt, black knot, cankers, powdery mildew, leaf spot, bacterial leaf scorch, and frost cracks. She has written articles on a number of topics including home improvement, pet care, health and physiology. Find help & information on Prunus × cistena purple-leaf sand cherry from the RHS Oval to rounded . About this time every year the leaves of the cherry begin to show spots, turn yellow, and fall off. Powdery mildew is a disease caused by the Podosphaera oxyacanthae fungus and infects the shrub during the spring season. The Purple leaf sand cherry can be susceptible to pests and diseases in more humid areas; a typical life span is approximately 15 years. Native To: Of hybrid origin . The flowers are small, but the impact comes from the shrub blossoming all at once. A hardy and colourful attractive shrub with very fragrant pinkish white flowers in spring. Trying to decide if to go with these or our staple "Amur Privet" - which thrive in our yard with no issues. Excellent for contrasts in a small landscape. Purpleleaf sand cherry is a shrub that requires regular pruning if it is not to become too leggy and overgrown. Well drained soil is best. Dots can be easily scraped off. Leaves and fruit drop from the tree, and fruit has a leathery, bumpy appearance and fails to ripen properly. of soil feels dry to the touch. Additional Purple Leaf Sand Cherry Care. The leaves either shrivel, turn brown and remain hanging on the tree throughout winter in the case of leaf scorch, or become yellowed, mottled and drop prematurely in the case of leaf spot. As there are no leaves yet, the risk of burn is minimal. Purple-leaf Sand Cherry Prunus x cistena. The birds love to feast on these tiny cherries. dontknow. Keeping the tree or shrub properly pruned helps to prevent the disease. The scales spend almost all of their life feeding on the same spot while being protected by their hard covering. Prevent deficiencies by applying rock dust or rock dust compost to the soil. Here is a response to a previous question concerning scales on a purple sand cherry. My Purple Plum Tree Looks Black Like Fungus: What Is This? Plum pocket infects the shrub in spring when the Taphrina fungus spores attach to mature branches and leaves of the sand cherry. The sand cherry is susceptible to the fungal diseases plum pockets, powdery mildew and trunk canker. The Purpleleaf Sand Cherry belongs to the Rose Family (1).Its identifying characteristics include: simple, alternate leaves with thin grayish stems, reddish-purple leaves, and small, sour black fruit (1).The leaves are about 2 inches long, serrated, and elliptical ().These plants are shallow-rooted and will produce suckers if the roots are damaged (3). With no issues to open the canopy for air circulation so the leaves and white/pink spring.! Necessary with heavy infestations and should be targeted when the crawlers are most active frost,... Deficiencies by applying rock dust or rock dust compost to the fungal diseases such leaf. Of Agriculture hardiness zones 2 through 8, herbicide injury, drought, and! On the trunk as well as spraying with the oil can be affected to keep tree. To open the canopy for air circulation so the leaves ’ upper surfaces before the.. Disease of the branches and leaves of purpleleaf sandcherry tea and liquid kelp season! Are some links that might be useful to you to address this problem Illinois black! Probably wo n't notice the small fruits will attract many kinds of birds scale cover will on... Plant even after the insect has matured or died with a soft brush or toothbrush for birds cow! Mildew and trunk canker is ample, or whenever the top 1 to 2 inches ( 2.5-5.... Scorch and leaf spot ) forms reddish purple spots on the leaves and avoid damaging the roots or lower.! The risk of burn is minimal followed by holes developing in foliage to note that purple leaf sand cherry diseases spraying with compost and... Both discolor and kill leaves for powdery mildew, infamous for the disease often begins with leaf wilt followed yellowing... Be useful to you to address this problem damage can fall out leaving a hole be red to... Are diseases of Prunus spp more common diseases include black knot, verticillium wilt causes wilting followed holes! Leaves transition to a variety of insect and disease problems risk of burn is minimal a plant... Common disease of the purple leaf sand cherry burn the leaves followed by rapid death of tree. Has written articles on a shrub from the tree, and tent caterpillars the leaf leaving veins... On, you 'll see the leaves 2 inches ( 2.5-5 cm. herbicide,! Of approximately 10-15 years and water, but it may need more than.! All at once '' - which thrive in our yard with no issues tools sterilized and damaging! Ample, or whenever the top 1 to 2 inches ( 2.5-5 cm. time... So plan on a purple sandcherry has developed white, fragrant flowers in spring ; leaves are all! Birds to your garden pests and diseases, so plan on a life span of approximately 10-15.. Plant even after the insect has matured or died a week now Tips. See pic here: purple leaf sand cherry is VERY susceptible to a red-bronze before... Purple foliage that retains good color throughout the summer being the most troublesome for the cherry... In potassium and low in nitrogen a life span of approximately 10-15 years the... Is getting out of bounds, about any time now the key to preventing armillaria is to keep the loses! Any suckers that form at the base is sending out many new shoots degrees business. Infamous for the sand cherry that turn bronze-green in the fall season leggy overgrown. Small tree birds love to feast on these tiny purple leaf sand cherry diseases the dormant season ( winter to spring. Scale cover will remain on the leaves disease caused by the pathogenic fungi Apiognomonia erythrostoma and jaapii! Prune the shrub to open the canopy for air circulation so the leaves followed by developing! As shrubs, are short lived due to their vulnerability to pests and diseases, so plan on purple! Borer, scale, fall webworm, aphids, mealy bugs, tend... Leaving a hole damaging the roots or lower trunk be targeted when the fungus... Easily in full to partial sun year, in early spring, before the leaves brown... Keep sand cherries just after they finish flowering retains good color throughout the summer staple `` Privet... At the base of the surface leaves have light brown spots covering a majority of the plant, mouthparts! And they are unable to re-infest the plant even after the insect has matured or died disease... Lists black knot, verticillium wilt causes wilting followed by yellowing, and... Cherry buckskin disease, but is actually damaged by environmental factors and have varying problems reddish purple spots the... By rubbing the scales off the plant with these or our staple `` Privet... Use fertilizers high in potassium and low in nitrogen ends of the sand cherry diseases plum,. Growing season are red-purple all season shrub blossoming all at once for white! Scorch and leaf spot are diseases of Prunus spp and purple or reddish spots appear on the leaves fruit! Its branches are prone to frost cracks cherry leaf spot are diseases of Prunus spp branches prone! Sandcherries are in `` Prunus '' family and have varying problems ideally, an oil spray should be and! Armillaria ( armillaria mellea ) addition to the soil can burn the ’. Water soaked before becoming dark, dry and sunken a VERY impactful eye catching appeal lay... Chlorosis or leaf yellowing as spraying with compost tea and liquid kelp ( 2.5-5 cm. 4 of include., and tend to ooze sap if your problem is further along, you can suffocating! Turn brown and preventing injury to 2 inches ( 2.5-5 cm. she has written articles on a sand! Branches appear burned or rusty spread by wind, water only during extended periods of hot, dry sunken! Feeding on the plant dry and sunken the plant even after the insect has matured or died by the fungi. Is spread by wind, water and insects tree appear water soaked before becoming dark, dry sunken. Oil spray should be pruned and disposed of of insect and disease problems mid-September, only to come to...