There's been problems with Aster Yellows affecting the Coneflowers this year. Many of them will have to be thrown away because of this disease. Aster Yellows is a chronic systemic disease cause by a bacterium known as phytoplasma. It's moved between plants by a leaf hopper insect. The purple coneflower is just one variety affected by this disease; others include the carrot, onion, celery, asters, and marigolds. Symptoms include stunting, green flowers, deformity, and sterilization.
A normal looking Purple Coneflower.
A Coneflower plant infected with Aster Yellows. The leaves are deformed and cupped; its flowers severely deformed, stunted, and green.
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