Troubleshooting
Czar Plum problems — and how to fix them
Czar Plum (Prunus domestica 'Czar') is generally forgiving once you match its basics, but a few issues come up again and again. Here is what each one looks like, why it happens, and the fix.
Silver leaf
A fungal disease entering through wounds, causing silvery leaves and dieback. Prune only in summer when spores are scarce and the tree heals fast, never in winter, and remove infected wood.
Brown rot
Fruit rots with concentric rings of buff pustules, especially in wet seasons or on damaged fruit. Remove and destroy infected and mummified fruit promptly and reduce wasp and bird damage.
Branch breakage from heavy crops
Czar can set such heavy crops that limbs split. Thin fruit in early summer to one every few centimetres and support or prune to reduce overloaded branches.
Aphids and plum sawfly
Aphids curl young leaves and sawfly larvae tunnel into fruitlets causing drop. Encourage predators, and hang traps or remove affected fruitlets to limit sawfly.
Prevent czar plum problems before they start
Most czar plum issues are care-mismatch, not bad luck. Dial in the basics:
Looking for czar plum in general rather than its problems? Read the full czar plum care guide — light, water, soil and feeding.
Czar Plum problems — FAQ
Why is my czar plum silver leaf?
A fungal disease entering through wounds, causing silvery leaves and dieback. Prune only in summer when spores are scarce and the tree heals fast, never in winter, and remove infected wood.
Why is my czar plum brown rot?
Fruit rots with concentric rings of buff pustules, especially in wet seasons or on damaged fruit. Remove and destroy infected and mummified fruit promptly and reduce wasp and bird damage.
Why is my czar plum branch breakage from heavy crops?
Czar can set such heavy crops that limbs split. Thin fruit in early summer to one every few centimetres and support or prune to reduce overloaded branches.
Why is my czar plum aphids and plum sawfly?
Aphids curl young leaves and sawfly larvae tunnel into fruitlets causing drop. Encourage predators, and hang traps or remove affected fruitlets to limit sawfly.