What to do in the event of a fungal attack?

Powdery mildew and downy mildew

If you notice a grayish or white coating on both the top and bottom of the leaf, it is very likely about the powdery mildew. There are two variants of this. The real mildew is also known as the "fair weather mushroom" because it mainly appears on warm and dry days. Downy mildew, on the other hand, prefers cooler and wetter weather. Powdery mildew can be solved quite well with home remedies (e. B. Treat garlic or nettle stock), if the infestation is severe, a copper-containing fungicide will help.

Nectria cinnabarina (vermilion pustule)

This fungal disease affects branches and twigs of the magnolia and is mainly introduced through unclean cutting tools. You can recognize an infestation by the orange-red or pale red spots in the branches. Nectria cinnabarina is dangerous in that the fungus introduces toxins into the plant's metabolism, weakening it and then causing it to die. It occurs mainly when there is a lack of water or extreme heat.

Cut off the affected areas generously back into the healthy wood and dispose of the clippings immediately - it remains contagious to other plants.

Botrytis (gray mold)

Botrytis, also known as gray rot or gray mold rot, is particularly insidious. It attacks almost all parts of the plant from the roots to the last leaf and even the fruits, and it feeds not only on living, but also on dead material. However, the fungus attacks the bark of young shoots as well as the bark with preference (if one can speak of it in the case of a fungus) Leaf and flower buds. The tree looks as if it is covered with a gray and white carpet - which it is, because it is the mushroom carpet that spreads very quickly. Remove all affected parts of the plant and keep them in a tightly closed plastic bag. Then, or if the infestation is too severe, choose a sulfur-containing fungicide, for example with the active ingredient fludioxonil.

Tips & Tricks

Since prevention is still better than cure, only cut your magnolia with absolutely clean cutting tools and then close the wound with it Tree sap. Also, remove dead or diseased plant parts immediately to keep the plant strong.