Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Vegetable > Asparagus > Spots on spear
Asparagus > Spear > Spots on spear
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Purple Spot
Stemphylium vesicarium
- Small purple sunken ovals on spears or ferns
- Spots grow larger with a purple border and a brown center
- Severe infection of the fern can result in premature defoliation and dieback
- Common on exposed sandy sites
- More information on Purple Spot
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Cercospora Leaf Spot
Cercospora asparagi
- Oval lesions with tan or gray center and reddish brown border
- Lower portion of ferns turn brown, eventually moving up plant
- Entire fern may turn yellow and die by mid season
- Disease often most severe when plants are big enough to crowd one another
- More information on Cercospora Leaf Spot
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Phytophthora Crown and Spear Rot
Phytophthora megasperma
- Spear has a soft dark water soaked lesion at the soil line
- Spear curls over the infected side and eventually collapses
- Infected part of spear is slimy and may smell bad
- Roots have water soaked spots
- Crown turns yellow
- In severe infections plant may die
- More information on Phytophthora Crown and Spear Rot
