Coral Spot Disease

Coral Spot - Identification and Treatment

The small orange pustules of coral spot are very distinctive. Normally, the fungus (Nectria cinnabarina) is found on dead wood (peasticks, stacked logs, runner bean poles and the like). It produces spores through the year which can infect living plant tissue through bark wounds or ragged pruning cuts. If this happens, the branch infected begins to die back.

If it is not checked the whole plant can die. This can happen to almost any woody plant, although some of the most susceptible are currants and figs.

Treatment is simple - remove the affected branch as soon as the condition is seen (and burn the infected wood). The pruning cut should be painted with a proprietary pruning sealant such as Medo or Jeyes Prune and Seal. As always - please remember to disinfect your pruning saw or secateurs in between EACH CUT. This removes the risk of transferring coral sport from one branch or tree to another. Prevention is also always better than the cure so practise good garden hygiene - pick up and burn or destroy all fallen and dead woody material. At the right time of year it is also a good idea to prune out dead wood.

Coral Spot is an easy condition to deal with and in no way should put you off having a look at our excellent selection of currants in the soft fruit section