Articles
Impatiens Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Impatiens diseases.
Updated:
July 31, 2016
| Disease | Symptoms | Pathogen/Cause | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternaria Leaf Spot | Brown spots and rings form on infected leaves. | Alternaria | Reduce humidity and maintain good air circulation. Space plants for good air circulation. Apply a fungicide registered for use on impatiens. |
| Botrytis Blight | Flowers are spotted and stems rot. | Botrytis cinerea | Reduce humidity and maintain good air circulation. Do not space plants too closely. Remove fading flowers and yellowing leaves. Apply a fungicide registered for use on impatiens. |
| Bacterial Fasciation | Plants stunted and have many short shoots at the crown. | Corynebacterium fascians | Discard infected plants. Do not propagate from infected plants. Propagate and plant in pasteurized potting media. |
| Damping-off | Stems at the soil line die and plants collapse. | Pythium or Rhizoctonia | Plant in pasteurized potting media. Keep hose ends off the ground. |
| Powdery Mildew (New Guinea impatiens) | White, mealy fungal growth develops on the top of leaves. Sometimes, heavy gray growth develops. | Oidium | Apply a fungicide registered for use on impatiens. |
| Pythium Root Rot | Lower leave wilt, leaves fall, and the plant dies. | Pythium spp. | Pot in pasteurized, pathogen-free media. Keep hose ends off the ground. Apply a fungicide registered for use on impatiens. |
| Thielaviopsis Root Rot | Roots become dark brown and rot. Lower stems have sunken lesions when infected. | Thielaviopsis basicola | Pot in pasteurized, pathogen-free media. Keep hose ends off the ground. Apply a fungicide registered for use on impatiens. |
| Verticillium Wilt | Lower leaves yellow and fall. Infected plants may recover. | Verticillium dahliae | Pot in pasteurized, pathogen-free media. Do not take cuttings infected plants. |
| Virus | Ring spots on leaves. Death of growing tips. Severe stunting. | Impatiens necrotic spot virus | Discard infected plants. Control thrips that carry the virus. Do not propagate from infected plants. |

Impatiens necrotic spot virus symptoms.
Prepared by Gary W. Moorman, Professor of Plant Pathology













