Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: mark smyth on April 16, 2011, 01:27:59 PM
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This is the first year I have seen this fungal attack on my Eranthis Guinea Gold. I have now removed the stems. What is it?
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A smut fungus. Now those sori have erupted you'll have spores everywhere. Best dig up the soil for 2 meters all around the plant to a depth of a meter and fill with concrete impregnated with a systemic fungicide.
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:o Very drastic. My raised bed is about that size. Will a good spray with fungicide work?
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No, there's nothing to spray now the fungus has completed its life-cycle for the year. The spores will sit in the soil until next spring when they will germinate and re-infect the emerging growths. Smut fungi can be difficult to treat - commercial crops are generally treated at the seed stage. At this stage I'd consider moving house - Urocystis eranthidis has a very broad host range - even including some Orchidaceae like Dactylorrhiza. Orchid growers call it the silent death - initial symptoms are similar to regular variegation.
Good luck.
John
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Ohhhhhhh dear!!