what is wrong with my coneflowers

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RUNAROAN Killbuck, OH Jun 09, 2015

My coneflowers are blooming with sparse petals. Everything else looks healthy. My Blackeyed susans were kinda scraggily last year, so I moved them, but they haven't bloomed yet. Any ideas???

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Post #10090662
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pepper23 KC Metro area, MO(Zone 6a) Jun 09, 2015

Looks like Aster Yellows.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/viruses/aster-yellows.aspx

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nutsaboutnature Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a) Jun 09, 2015

Based on your pictures, I don't believe it's Aster Yellows. A couple of years ago I had a similar issue with my Coneflowers where they looked healthy in every way, but many of the blooms either had sparse petals or no petals (just seed heads).

I did research and posted pics on DG in multiple threads without much confirmation of anything.

With Aster Yellows the flowers look extremely distorted with flowers growing out of flowers or stems growing out of flowers, etc. Below are a couple of links with classic symptoms.

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/aster-yellows/

http://www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com/is-something-wrong-with-my-echinacea.html

With mine, I decided to take a chance and let them grow because the Goldfinches love the seeds (one of the reasons I grow coneflowers) and I let them come back the following year. Mine came back looking normal and beautiful and I haven't had any issues since. It also has not affected any other plants.

With Aster Yellows it's generally best to remove and throw away the plants since it is contagious. Your pics look more like what mine had, but you'll have to make your own decision.

Here is a link to one of my threads on this subject from 2013. Some people thought it was Aster Yellows, but other members (from other threads and posts I wrote with the same pics) thought it was something different.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1328964/#post_9627450

I would say keep an eye on the plants and if they start to show other symptoms, it might be time to pull and throw away the plants, but if all you have are some missing petals, they might be okay next year.

Good Luck!

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