Top Leaf Wilting in a Rose Bush

Herbicide Damage

• Herbicides like glyphosate can damage rose bushes. Signs of herbicide damage may not appear until the following growing season. Signs include yellowing, wilting or curling of leaves and smaller-than-usual leaves. Although severe herbicide damage can kill the entire plant, rose bushes usually recover from most cases on their own. If you suspect your rose bush is suffering from herbicide damage, ensure proper watering and fertilizing and avoid further herbicide exposure while it recovers.

Rose Leaf Curl

• Rose leaf curl involves the wilting, curling and dieback of leaves. Caused by a virus, rose leaf curl is distinctive among rose leaf diseases because it causes the leaves to wilt and curl downward. It also causes cane dieback. Although this disease spreads slowly, it is not curable. Remove rose bushes suffering from rose leaf curl, so that they do not infect neighboring roses.

Nutrient Deficiencies or Excesses

• Nutrient deficiencies and excesses cause leaves, especially older leaves, to wilt, discolor or eventually fall off. Very high salt concentrations in the soil lead to leaf browning and wilting. Excessive boron leads to the browning and wilting, particularly when the leaves first form. Nitrogen is an important nutrient for rose plants. In areas where the nitrogen soil content is low, adding nitrogen-rich fertilizer prevents the yellowing and wilting of leaves. Iron and zinc are also important nutrients and may be applied directly to the plant's leaves.

Rose Mosaic

• A virus causes rose mosaic. It is a common disease of cultivated roses. Rose mosaic has three different symptom patterns, two of which involve the yellowing of leaves. Rose ring causes circular shapes to form on the leaves of the rose bush and may cause discoloration in rose petals. Rose streak causes discolored lines to appear on rose leaves. Rose wilt causes leaves to wilt and the plant eventually develops an overall sickly look. Rose mosaic is not curable.