What diseases affect petunia?

Grey mould, Tomato spotted wilt virus, White mould (Sclerotinia)

Petunia pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which petunia problems need quick action?

Tomato russet mite: Leaves curl, turn yellow or bronze, sometimes glossy underneath, then wither and drop. Grey mould: Small, almost translucent spots that turn brown and water-soaked; affected tissue goes soft, dark and dies, and buds and flowers shrivel. Tomato spotted wilt virus: Dark brown streaks on stems and leaf stalks; tips die back, and plants are stunted or grow lopsided. White mould (Sclerotinia): Masses of fluffy white, cotton-like mould on the affected parts, especially in cool, damp weather.

Petunia × atkinsiana

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for petunia in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	4
Pests	1
Diseases	3
Need quick action	4

How to grow petunia · All pests and diseases

Pests

Tomato russet miteLeaves curl, turn yellow or bronze, sometimes glossy underneath, then wither and drop.Photo: Goldlocki, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Grey mouldSmall, almost translucent spots that turn brown and water-soaked; affected tissue goes soft, dark and dies, and buds and flowers shrivel.Photo: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tomato spotted wilt virusDark brown streaks on stems and leaf stalks; tips die back, and plants are stunted or grow lopsided.Photo: Downtowngal, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
White mould (Sclerotinia)Masses of fluffy white, cotton-like mould on the affected parts, especially in cool, damp weather.Photo: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Which petunia problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Tomato russet mite: Fruit skin turns bronze and may crack lengthwise.
Grey mould: On strawberries, grapes and other soft fruit a soft brown rot, often as the fruit ripens; on gooseberries whole branches die.
Tomato spotted wilt virus: Fruit with pale yellow or light green rings, often raised in the centre; ripe tomatoes blotched red and yellow; peppers with ring spots.
White mould (Sclerotinia): Later, hard black seed-like bodies (sclerotia) 0.5–1 cm across in the mould and inside hollow stems.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.