Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Inspect the undersides of the leaves for orange dust.
- Check for any signs of small insects like aphids.
- Look for dead or decaying foliage around the base of the plant.
Likely causes
Daylily Rust
Most likelyHow to tell: You will see bright orange or yellow pustules on the leaf surfaces. These spots often rub off as a dusty powder if you touch them.
What to do: Remove and destroy all infected leaves immediately to stop the spread. Apply a fungicide labeled for rust if the infection is widespread, following the label instructions for frequency.
Leaf Streak
PossibleHow to tell: This fungal disease causes brown or tan streaks and spots that often start at the leaf tip. It usually appears during warm and wet weather.
What to do: Clean up all dead plant debris around the base of the plant to remove fungal spores. Improve air circulation by thinning out crowded clumps in the spring.
Find out what's wrong with your daylily
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
You should worry if the orange spots are spreading rapidly to new leaves. A few spots on older foliage at the end of the season is normal.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the foliage dry by watering at the base of the plant rather than overhead. Space your daylilies properly to ensure good airflow between the leaves.
Keep your daylily healthy from here
Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked. Identification and a health check are free.
Questions people ask
- Will these spots kill my daylily?
- Rust can weaken the plant and reduce flowering, but it rarely kills a healthy, established daylily. Prompt removal of infected leaves usually keeps the plant going.
- Can I compost the spotted leaves?
- No, do not compost infected leaves as the fungal spores can survive and spread back to your garden. Bag them up and put them in the trash.
More problems with Daylily
This article was generated with AI from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.