Daylily Rust- Where Will It End
Situation in U.S">Pest Alert for daylily rust reports: "Currently in the U.S., the daylily rust has been detected in nurseries, plant dealerships, and daylily gardens in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin." (As of September, we can also add Oregon to the list) The report goes on to state: "Some form of delimiting survey has been conducted. Daylilies are sold in almost all nurseries. Infected daylilies have been shipped and transported nationwide via nurseries, brokers and hobbyists." Where will it end? Well consider that it has also been detected in Queensland....
So it would be reasonable to assume that the disease is now in most, if not all states and widely dispersed overseas. Yes in 18 months this disease has moved thousands of miles, not to mention across oceans. It IS very aggressive. Did I say it is VERY aggressive? Need I add that it is very AGGRESSIVE? 18 months - 48, maybe 50 states and ? countries!
So what is so terrible about this disease? Have you got five fingers? 1) It makes daylilies very unsightly and thus unmarketable, daylilies are one of the most popular perennials. 2)It does not require an alternate host. It spreads from daylily to daylily. 3)It is aggressive. 2 to 3 days after inoculation a plant is infected. 4)It is already present nationwide. 5)There is a lot of opportunity for it to spread- Daylilies are everywhere, almost every garden, and a lot of road side ditches. Spores are airborne. Plants are widely transported.
How do you know if your daylilies have this disease? The tell tale signs are either bright yellow spots with a water-soaked border or tan spots with some necrosis when viewed on the upper leaf surface. At the center of these spots there is a raised pustule. The nature of these symptoms seem to vary with the susceptibility of any particular cultivar. Often the spots run together to create broad bands of mottled symptomatic tissue. Some good photods of infection symptoms can be seen at this The American Hemerocallis Society page
There are two other common daylily problems that this disease may be confused with. Leaf streak and aphids can create similar leaf symptoms, but lack the telltale "rust". Rebecca's Rust Page has good images for comparison of rust with these other daylily
Latest Articles