Anthracnose on Azalea and Its Control in Production Nurseries

Anthracnose, which is caused by the fungus Colletotrichium gloeosporides, is a widespread and destructive disease on container-grown azalea. This disease is especially common in container nurseries, which are located near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Anthracnose is a hot, wet weather disease. This year, frequent showers and daily cloud cover throughout much of July and August across the Gulf Coast region of Alabama incited a severe outbreak of this disease in container-grown azaleas. While Kurume-type azaleas are considered to be most susceptible to attack by causal fungus C. gloeosporides, extensive damage was also seen this summer on the more resistant Indica-type azaleas.