Septoria host plants – targets of this ravaging leaf spot disease

Plants infected with septoria

Septoria has often caused many a gardener to wail in desperation. What plants does it affect? Which host is it hiding on over winter?

This list shows most common plants which are affected by the Septoria fungus. When they exist, common names as well as scientific names for the disease are included. They’re also called Septoria leaf spot“, too.

It’s a complement to our main Septoria leaf spot page. We describe there exactly how you can save your harvest and flowers from this rampaging fungal leaf spot. Information for correct septoria identification is included, too.

Different species of Septoria fungus

Over 500 species of Septoria have been described. Experts estimate that over a thousand may exist in all. Most of them must still be discovered and described!

Here are a few different types of Septoria and the plants they infect. Together, they’re called “host plants for Septoria“.

For any given septoria fungus, however, contamination will usually only occur from plants that can host that same species exactly.

Host plants for Septoria

Click here for shortcuts to the tables on this page:

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Food crops & vegetables Septoria infects

Plant Scientific name Common name
tomato
eggplant
Physalis
bell & chili pepper
Septoria lycopersici tomato black spot
tomato septoria
tomato leaf spot
eggplant leaf spot
potato Septoria lycopersici
var. malagutii
annular leaf spot
celery
celeriac
Septoria apiicola late blight
squash
melon
cucumber
pumpkin
butternut
red kuri
watermelon
other
Cucurbitaceae
Septoria
cucurbitacearum
leaf spot
lettuce Septoria lactucae
lettuce leaf spot
strawberry Septoria fragariae
Septoria aciculosa
leaf spot, hard rot
red beet Septoria betae beet leaf spot
pea Septoria pisi
soybean Septoria glycines brown spot
wheat Septoria tritici
Septoria nodorum
leaf blotch

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Fruit trees Septoria uses as hosts

Plant Scientific name Common name
Pear tree Septoria piricola
also written
Septoria pyricola
White spot
Pecan tree Septoria caryae
Apple tree Septoria sp. White spot
Most vulnerable:
Lemon tree
Orange tree (Valencia)
Grapefruit tree
Navel oranges
Least vulnerable:
Buddha’s Hand
Finger lime
Calamondin
Kumquat
Septoria citri Septoria spot
Hazelnut Septoria ostryae Hazelnut Septoria
Blackberry
and raspberry
Septoria rubi
renamed to
Sphaerulina westendorpii
Blackberry leaf spot
Kiwi
(Actinidia)
Septoria actinidiae kiwi leaf spot
Chestnut tree Septoria castaneicola chestnut leaf spot
Cherry tree Septoria sp. cherry leaf spot
blueberry,
cranberry,
and bilberry
and others of the
Vaccinum family
Septoria albopunctata Blueberry septoria

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Ornamental plants infected by Septoria

Plant Scientific name Common name
Cyclamen Septoria cyclaminis cyclamen leaf spot
Phlox Septoria divaricata
Septoria phlogis
phlox leaf spot
Lavender Septoria lavandulae lavender leaf spot
Rudbeckia Septoria rudbeckiae Rudbeckia leaf spot
Hydrangea Septoria hydrangeae Hydrangea leaf spot
Passion flower Septoria passiflorae passiflower leaf spot
Bellflower (Campanula) Septoria campanulae bellflower leaf spot
Carnation (Dianthus) Septoria dianthi carnation leaf spot
Helianthus
(sunflower)
Septoria helianthi Helianthus leaf spot
Asteraceae
(Asters)
including
Chrysanthemum
Oxeye daisy
Marigold
Septoria leucanthemi
Septoria coelomycetous
Septoria chrysanthemella
Septoria chrysanthemi
Septoria obesa
Septoria adanensis
Septoria socia
Aster leaf spot
Impatiens
(including
Sunpatiens)
Septoria sp. Impatiens leaf spot
Hebe
(Veronica)
Septoria veronicae Veronica leaf spot
Gerbera
& possibly Garvinea
Septoria gerberae Gerbera leaf spot
Flax Septoria linicola Flax leaf blotch
Dead-nettle Septoria lamii Dead-nettle leaf spot
Mallows Septoria malvicola Septoria leaf spot
Clematis Septoria clematidis Clematis leaf spot
Violet Septoria violae and Septoria violae-palustris Violet leaf spot

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Leaf fungus infecting Azalea, one of the septoria plants

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Trees and hedge shrubs Septoria may infect

Plant Scientific name Common name
barberry Septoria berberidis
barberry leaf septoria
Azalea
including
Azalea japonica
Septoria azaleae
Septoria azalea-indicae
Azalea leaf spot
Magnolia Septoria sp. Magnolia septoria spot
Rhododendron
including R. minus
Septoria rhododendri
Septoria albopunctata
Septoria azaleae
Septoria azaleae-indicae
Septoria oleandrina (=S. nerii)
Septoria solitaris
Rhododendron leaf spot
poplar,
willow
Septoria populicola
Septoria musiva
(renamed to
Sphaerulina musiva)
poplar blight
cherry laurel Septoria laurocerasi cherry laurel septoria
birch Septoria betulae birch leaf septoria
dogwood Septoria cornicola dogwood septoria
Lantana camara Septoria lantanifolii Lantana leaf blotch
gorse Septoria slaptoniensis gorse leaf spot septoria
oak Septoria quercicola
oak leaf septoria
silverberry
Russian olive
Septoria elaeagni Elaeagnus septoria
plane tree Septoria platanifolia plane leaf septoria
hophornbeam Septoria sp.
hophornbeam leaf septoria
ash Septoria sp.
ash leaf septoria
oleander Septoria oleandrina
Septoria nerii
oleander leaf septoria
holly
(note: yaupon is resistant)
Septoria ilicifolia holly leaf septoria
hawthorn Septoria oxycanthae
hawthorn leaf septoria

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Herbs and spices hosting Septoria

Plant Scientific name Common name
lemon balm Septoria melissae lemon balm leaf spot
parsley
coriander
Septoria petroselini parsley blight
verbena Septoria verbenae Verbena leaf spot
Allium tuberosum
(garlic chives)
Septoria allii Septoria leaf spot
Stevia Septoria stevia Stevia leaf spot
hops Septoria humuli hops Septoria
mint Septoria menthae mint leaf spot
Sichuan pepper Septoria pachyspopra Sichuan leaf spot
Mertensia Septoria poseyi Mertensia leaf spot

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Weeds Septoria survives and multiplies on

Find the most common Septoria host weeds in the main article here.


Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
CC BY-SA 4.0: Jerzy Opioła