How to Easily Control Hibiscus Wilt Disease (2024 Guide)

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1. Symptoms and Causes

Like dieback disease, wilt disease is a fungal disease that can spread rapidly and cause death to hibiscus.

Causes

Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae are the main culprits of wilt disease. These two fungi hide in the soil and invade the roots of plants, damaging the ducts that carry water in the stems. Damaged ducts cannot transport water from the soil to plants.

Symptoms

The sudden wilting of leaves features wilt disease. In the early stages of plant disease, it is easy to misjudge.

As the disease develops, the roots of the plant turn brown, then rot, and the plant's lower leaves begin to turn yellow and wither. With time, some parts of the stems will change color, all leaves will wilt, and eventually, the plant will die.

2. Treatment Options

We should immediately take treatment when we find a hibiscus with wilt disease.

First, we move the hibiscus to a well-lit place, but not directly under the sun. Then, we can spray water on the leaves to ensure they are wet properly. At the same time, we can use Thiophanate-methyl.

Wilt disease is hard to treat. Even the use of Thiophanate-methyl can only relieve symptoms and prolong the survival time of plants. Still, it can not restore plants to health.

Wilt disease usually happens in the hot summer. The disease can still infect other plants even if the temperature decreases.

Wilt disease appears from May to September; the best prevention time is from April to August.

Fungal spores can spread through water, wind, and dirty gardening tools. If we have found wilt disease in plants, it's hard to stop it from spreading.

Those harmful fungi can stick around in the soil for a long, even if we remove the sick plants. So, getting rid of those harmful fungi from the soil is impossible. In short, replanting hibiscus or other plants in the same spot can cause new plants to catch wilt disease.

3. Prevention Tips

The best way to avoid getting a fungal infection is to take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Here are some simple and actionable precautions:

Soil

Plant hibiscus in well-drained soil and do not use clay. Plants' roots need air to breathe, just like us. Loose soil helps plant roots breathe and grow better, making it harder for harmful fungi to live. So, don't let the soil be too compact.

Water

Watering is a technical job. At least when I first began to learn to grow flowers, I often let my flowers die because of watering. It's a sad memory.

Hibiscus needs to control the amount of water, not frequent watering. Overwatering can lead to fungal growth and root rot, which weakens the plant's immunity against wilt disease.

I will water the base of the plant only when the soil is slightly dry. Avoid splashing water on the leaves because it could cause rust disease.

Prune

If you find wilt disease symptoms in the hibiscus, use sterilized tools to cut off the yellowing leaves or withered parts in time. Make clean cuts just above a set of healthy leaves or nodes. We should not throw away the pruned stems and leaves at will but rather seal them in a bag and destroy them. And disinfect used tools.

Keep clean

Keep the garden clean, and try not to pile up debris in the garden. Make sure to sweep up fallen leaves, flowers, and plant debris from the ground often to stop the harmful fungi from spreading around.

Eliminate pests

I will be careful about pests in my garden that can harm my hibiscus. Two of the most common ones are aphids and whiteflies. These pests can make hibiscus plants more likely to get wilt disease by messing with their natural defenses.

To get rid of pests, use insecticidal soap. It's best to steer clear of pesticides that can harm beneficial insects whenever you can.

Bibliography:
12 - Wilt Diseases, TERRY A. TATTAR, Editor(s): TERRY A. TATTAR, Diseases of Shade Trees (Revised Edition), Academic Press, 1989, Pages 189-205, ISBN 9780126843514, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-684351-4.50018-1.
Induction of Systemic Resistance in Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. to Control Root Rot and Wilt Diseases Using Biotic and Abiotic Inducers, Ahmed, H. F. A., Elnaggar, S., Abdel-Wahed, G. A., Taha, R. S., Ahmad, A., Al-Selwey, W. A., Ahmed, H. M. H., Khan, N., & Seleiman, M. F. (2023). Biology, 12(6), 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12060789
Assessment of compost for suppression of Fusarium oxysporum and improving Zea mays and Hibiscus sabdarriffa resistance to wilt diseases, WM Salem, WF Sayed, H Abdel-Fatah, HH Neamat, Published: Jan 22, 2016, Issue Vol. 11 No. 69 (2012), Section Articles, https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB12.1252
Wilt, Crown, and Root Rot of Common Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) Caused by a Novel Fusarium sp. Journal Article, Lupien, S. L. Dugan, F. M. Ward, K. M. O’Donnell, K. 2017, Plant Disease, 354-358, 101, 2, 10.1094/PDIS-05-16-0717-RE, https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-05-16-0717-RE

My name is Arthur Mo. I am a gardener who loves gardening so much. I graduated from Ocean University of China. After I returned to Japan, I began to learn how to cultivate hydrangeas and daisies. Mr. Mitsuhiro (my master) taught me to sow, cut, fertilize, and manage diseases and pests. For nine years, I have been sharpening my planting skills. In 2022, my family and I moved to Florida. The warm climate of Florida gives me the impulse to continue cultivating hydrangeas and daisies. I began my gardening trip in my backyard and unswervingly contributed my efforts to these plants. I love these plants deeply, and at the same time, I also thank my family, my master, and friends for their understanding and support.