Brown Leaf Blotch

Brown leaf blotch creates irregular brown spots with concentric rings on tree leaves. You notice spotting increase during wet springs and cool weather favorable for fungal growth. The fungus spreads via water splash and air currents during wet weather. Control involves removing infected foliage, improving air circulation, and using fungicides.

Leaf spot and blotch diseases are primarily cosmetic on established plants, though repeated years of heavy infection can weaken them. Rake up and remove fallen leaves to reduce the spore load going into the next season. Avoid overhead watering that splashes spores from the ground onto lower leaves. If the problem is severe, protective fungicide sprays during spring leaf emergence can help, but sanitation does more than chemistry for most leaf spots.