Not only the pretty red flowers make the hawthorn so attractive, but also its differently structured leaves. But what if he loses her? We will inform you about possible causes and countermeasures here.
Hawthorn always sheds its leaves in autumn
Summer leaf fall alarming
The hawthorn is a deciduous tree - if it sheds its leaves in autumn, this is completely normal. However, if this happens in the summer, something is definitely wrong. The reason is then usually a fungal disease, which must be combated urgently.
In general, the hawthorn is susceptible to the following evils:
- fire blight
- web moth
- leaf tan
fire blight
Unfortunately, this dangerous bacterial disease is a heavy burden for hawthorn. Because it is very susceptible to the pathogen Erwinia amylovora and this spreads like an epidemic, entire areas are considered to be at risk of fire blight and unfavorable for the hawthorn culture. With this disease, the water supply is cut off and the immune system is blocked, resulting in dead, dead leaves. But they still don't fall off.
web moth
This pest also attacks the green leaf of the hawthorn, but does not let it fall off. Rather, it is greedily eaten by the insect when fresh. When defoliated, the hawthorn is also and above all covered all over by white webs. However, a spider moth infestation does not cause leaves to fall.
leaf tan
The only thing left is leaf tan, a fungal disease to which the hawthorn is susceptible. It actually leads to discoloration and subsequent dropping of the leaves. You can recognize the fungus by the brownish spots that appear initially, which then converge until the leaf is completely discolored. Then it is thrown off so that the whole hawthorn is already defoliated in late summer.
The problem is that the fungus does not die off even in winter, but survives in the deciduous state. So that you don't have the same trouble every year, thorough disposal of all diseased parts of the plant is necessary. First, thin out the crown along with all the affected branches and dispose of everything in the household waste, never on the compost. It is also very important to thoroughly rake up the fallen leaves and dispose of them in the same way.
You can also apply a fungicide, preferably after flowering. Spray the undersides of the leaves in particular and repeat the process after about 6 weeks. The more thorough you are in a year, the more assured you will have peace of mind once and for all.