Common Diseases of the Ficus Tree

Ficus trees are grown for their fantastic foliage and are standard houseplants. The species include the Weeping Fig, Fiddleleaf Fig, and the Rubber Tree. Ficus trees are simple to maintain. Avoid over watering or wetting the leaves to help stop diseases. Below are some of the common diseases of the ficus tree.

Fungal Leaf Spots
Ficus trees that are set outside during warm weather could develop fungal leaf spots, but they never happen inside. Leaf spots usually aren’t harmful, though they affect the look of infested trees. Care for leaf spots with a fungicide particularly for ficus trees.  

Anthracnose created by Glomerella fungi or Colletotrichum darken yellow spots to brown and produces hordes of spores. Botrytis blight creates large brown or tan spots with concentric rings and multitudes of fuzzy gray spores. Little raised red or dark green spots on the bottom part of the leaves are symptoms of Cercospora leaf spot. These spots emerge on young leaves as red spots.

Fungal Diseases
Many other fungal diseases influence ficus trees. Twig blight makes small twigs turn brown and die. Twig cankers produced by fungi are lesions that can encircle and destroy the infested limbs. Trim and extinguish infected plant material to stop the spread of disease.

The fungus Sclerotium rolfsii produces Southern blight. Loads of white cottony mycelium develop on the leaves and stems of infected plants and make them die. There is no treatment or for Southern blight. Infected trees have to be destroyed. Contact a tree and stump removal company to get rid of the diseased tree.

Bacterial Diseases
These maladies are deadly to ficus trees. Galls on ficus trees are created by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Swollen areas on infected stem, roots, or develop and get corky. No chemical control will work. Affected trees have to be destroyed to stop the spread of infection.

Xanthomonas leaf spot starts as little water-soaked spots on the tree. The spots multiply and might produce yellow margins. Using bactericides according to the manufacturer’s instructions can stop Xanthomonas leaf spots. Infected trees and their stumps have to be cut down so the disease won’t spread in your lawn.
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