Dogwood Powdery Mildew - Dogwood Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease problem on many perennials, as well as annuals, shrubs, and even trees and turf. In 2000, the Plant Clinic saw powdery mildew most frequently on euonymus, honeysuckle, barberry, rose, dogwood, zinnia, phlox, rudbeckia, monarda, helianthus, aster, and coreopsis. We will probably never see an epidemic of this disease in Illinois because there are so many different powdery mildew fungi and because they are host specific. For example, the powdery mildew on zinnia does not spread to sycamore. The widespread occurrence of powdery mildew across a broad range of hosts is not likely. Still, on one plant, the disease may spread very quickly, especially in humid weather.

College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Natural History Survey