Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Plant Diseases

Lilac Curled Leaves with Black Powder: Aphids and Sooty Mold

3-Year-Old Lilac Leaves Curl, Turn Brown, Black Powder Inside

Northern WI, sheltered area. Whole tree covered.

Expert Diagnosis

Aphids suck juices, excrete honeydew → black sooty mold. Treat with Orthene (spray both leaf sides) or Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control (soil drench, roots transport to leaves). Link to Bayer product provided.

Plant Diseases: Black Sooty Mold on Hackberry: Controlling the Aphids and Scale Behind It; Diagnosing Lilac Decline: Root Rot and Herbicide Injury; Grey-White Circles on Lilac Trunk: Need Photo for Identification; Hydrangea Tree Yellowing and Leaf Drop: Water Stress, Not Spray Damage; Lilac in California: Humidity, Leaf Miner, and Pruning Rules; Dwarf Grapefruit in Greenhouse: Leaf Yellowing and Browning; Lemon Tree Mysterious Decline: No Clear Pathogen, Focus on Cultural Care; Lilac Leaf Curl and Bark Splotches: Herbicide Drift Suspected; Peach Leaf Curl: Fungicide Spray Program Essential; Citrus Leaf Miner: Seasonal Moth, Organic Tolerance Best

Garden Articles

Carrotwood Pale Curled Leaves After Pruning: Stress or Pests?

Plumeria Spider Mites: Organic Control and Plant Health

Ginkgo Leaf Curl After Wet Spring: Temporary Stress Response

Mango Tree One-Sided Dieback: Prune to Healthy Wood

Ginkgo Tree with Small Leaves and Suckers: Cold Injury and Stress Recovery

Ginkgo Tree Half Leaf-Out: Woodpeckers or Water Issues

Tree Identification: Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

Plants

Pruning Young Empress Trees: Managing Suckers for Strong Structure

Transplanting a Lilac in Early Spring

Tree Leaf Identification Resources for Science Projects and Homeowners

Identifying a Non-Blooming Magnolia as Possibly Fraser Magnolia

Curled Leaves Touching Soil on African Violet: Genetic Trait and Mechanical Fixes

Diagnosing Leaf Drop in Ficus Trees

Hibiscus Tree Care: Light, Fertilizer, and Pest Management for Blooms