Indian Hawthorn – Leaf Spot

Q: We have a fifteen-foot tall Indian hawthorn tree in our courtyard that is losing leaves. But most Indian hawthorns are shrubs, right? How can we save it?

A: Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! I did not know Indian hawthorn could grow so big. Much to my surprise, my bet is that you do have an Indian hawthorn tree! It’s probably a ‘Majestic Beauty’, a large shrub that can be pruned into a tree form. Indian hawthorns are famous for getting leaf spot disease…but some (including ‘Majestic Beauty’) are more resistant than others.

Here’s what I’d do:

1. Prune away all of the stubs left by the last pruner. Make the cut about a quarter inch away from the larger trunk/branch the stub comes from.

2. Clean up all fallen leaves and put clean mulch under the tree.

3. See the following for excellent control information
Entomosporium Leaf Spot
Spray now with one of the products mentioned.

Note how often to spray.

4. Fertilize with Holly-Tone at the rate noted on the bag for landscape shrubs.

5. Keep fingers tightly crossed!

Indian hawthorns that don’t seem to get leaf spot as badly as others: ‘Calisto’, ‘Majestic Beauty, ‘Yedda’, ‘Snowcap’,‘Southern Moon’,‘Spring Sonata’, ‘Eleanor Tabor’, ‘Indian Princess’, ‘Betsy’, ‘Georgia Petite’, ‘Olivia’, and ‘Snow White’.  Be sure to purchase plants showing no leaf spot symptoms.

Also see https://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/D88EDF42-0416-4908-8D23-49F1A95A721D/74736/pub3171EntomosporiumleafspotHIGHRES.pdf

Indian hawthorn 1

Indian hawthorn 3

Indian hawthorn 2

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