Browning of African Daisy Leaves

Cultivation

• The African daisy is naturalized in many parts of the United States. It produces flowers in yellow, orange and white in the spring and summer. The flower is native to South Africa, but it grows outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. African daisies grow in full sunlight and well-draining soil. Ideally, soil should be somewhat dry. Improper or poor cultivation results in weakness that makes the flower vulnerable to attack from pests and disease, which may result in the browning of leaves.

Weather

• Unusual or extreme weather conditions stress the plants. African daisies grow well in dry conditions, but drought and extreme dryness cause wilting and browning. Flooding conditions and heavy rains create excess moisture that causes rot and wilt. Unusually cold weather creates frost damage that leads to browning, wilting and death.

Pests

• Snails and slugs damage many plants in the garden, including the African daisy. The pests feed on the edges of leaves and flowers, which stresses the plant. Heavy feeding may cause browning and wilting of leaves and blossoms. Look for the distinctive silvery trail slugs and snails leave identifying their presence. Weeding the flowerbed, pruning dense ground cover and eliminating garden debris destroys areas where slugs and snails hide. Handpick the pests whenever you spot them on your African daisies. Place the pests in a bucket of soapy water or put them into the compost pile after you pulling them off plants.

Disease

• Fungal problems generally occur in wet, moist conditions. Blight fungus looks like browning, dead patches on leaves, blossoms and stems of flowers. The disease rots the stems, preventing flowering and potentially causing flowers to collapse to the ground. Avoid watering the leaves and flowers of African daisies. Watering the soil instead prevents moisture that fosters fungal growth.