entomosporium leaf spot

Entomosporium leaf spot symptoms on Photinia.
Photo: Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org

Updated: June 3, 2026
Several green photinia leaves bearing dozens of grayish, rounded spots that have purple-red margins.
Leaf spot symptoms on photinia foliage. Photo: HGIC

Entomosporium leaf spot (also called photinia leaf spot) is one of the most common and significant diseases of photinia (Photonia x fraseri, also called red-tip photinia) in the landscape. Other names of this disease include Diplocarpon or Fabrea leaf blight. This fungal pathogen will also infect more than 60 species of landscape plants in the rose family (Rosaceae). Susceptible genera in that family include:

  • serviceberry (Amelanchier)
  • chokeberry (Aronia)
  • flowering quince (Chaenomeles)
  • cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)
  • hawthorn (Crataegus)
  • fruiting quince (Cydonia)
  • apple and crabapple (Malus)
  • red-tip photinia (Photinia)
  • firethorn (Pyracantha)
  • flowering and fruiting pear (Pyrus)
  • mountain-ash or rowan (Sorbus)

Symptoms of infection begin as small spots that usually coalesce into large dead areas on the leaves. Leaf lesions on plants such as photinia frequently have reddish-brown halos/margins with gray centers. Infected plants will defoliate before mid summer and secondary infections frequently cause extensive disease on new foliage. Once this fungal disease gets into an established planting, it is difficult to control and tends to take constant management.

A person holds a photinia leaf that is heavily spotted with rounded light gray or brown blemishes with reddish-purple margins.
Upper surface (top side) of a photinia leaf with symptoms of an Entomosporium infection.
Photo: Miri Talabac, University of Maryland Extension
A person holds a photinia leaf that is heavily spotted with rounded light gray or brown blemishes with reddish-purple margins. The back of the leaf is facing the viewer.
Lower surface (reverse side) of the same photinia leaf with symptoms of an Entomosporium infection.
Photo: Miri Talabac, University of Maryland Extension

Management

  • Sanitation steps such as pruning out symptomatic foliage and removal of leaf debris can help to reduce the amount of fungal spores around the plant that can reinfect new foliage.
  • Fungicides will not cure existing symptoms. A copper fungicide could be used on healthy new foliage to prevent infection, but it will require several applications per year, every year, to maintain protection. Copper-based fungicides can only be used a certain number of times per year to avoid root-toxic copper buildup in the soil.
  • Replace plants that are frequently and extensively infected. We don't typically recommend growing photinia in the mid-Atlantic because this disease is so common, especially since the dense foliage promoted by regular pruning to restrain the growth of these large-maturing shrubs makes the plant more vulnerable to infection due to reduced airflow. Consider replanting with another type of shrub that is less prone to problems: Plants for Mixed Privacy Screens.