Copper pear is a hardy and easy-care shrub that is not susceptible to diseases and pests. Like many rose plants, it can be affected by fire blight. Even the powdery mildew does not stop at the copper pear tree.
If the leaves turn brown unexpectedly, a disease may be behind it
The varieties of the rock pear that come from a wild species are more resistant to pests and pathogens than the cultivated and grafted varieties. In general, the copper pear is not susceptible to disease. Since it is only distantly related to the pear, it cannot suffer from the dreaded pear rust. Fire blight and powdery mildew are the most common in the copper pear tree (also called currant tree).
The firebrand
Fire blight is a bacterial disease that manifests itself in leaves withering and turning brown to black, and branches withering and dying. In the case of fire blight infestation, only radical pruning measures can help, in which case all affected parts of the plant must be removed. Only healthy wood may remain, even if cutting is sometimes difficult.
The Powdery Mildew
When infested with powdery mildew, the leaves and fruits get a white coating and dry up. The fungal disease is favored by prolonged moisture and the wrong location. In addition, dense foliage makes it difficult for rainwater to evaporate, creating the conditions for the spread of powdery mildew. The following measures serve to prevent or remedy the situation:
- cut back the affected shoots so that the fungus cannot overwinter in them,
- as a preventive measure, spray the Amelnchier lamarckii with a commercially available pesticide, starting before the leaves sprout,
- ensure sufficient ventilation in the crown by thinning out the branches.
tips
Other fungi such as Verticilium or Phytophtera also have an easy time of it when there is sufficient moisture in the soil and can even attack resistant plants.