Leaf Spot and Anthracnose on Trees and Shrubs: A NC Homeowner’s Guide

By Ken Erickson · Updated June 2026

Leaf spot treatment starts before the spots ever show — our warm, wet springs are exactly what the fungus waits for. Here in Raleigh’s southern suburbs, our springs come in warm and wet, and that is the exact recipe fungal leaf diseases wait for all year. Every April and May, I get calls from homeowners in Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Apex, and Cary who walk outside to find their dogwoods, photinias, cherry laurels, and Indian hawthorns covered in reddish-purple spots or brown blotches, with leaves already dropping. Leaf spot and anthracnose are two of the most common problems on trees and shrubs across the Triangle, and while most cases are more ugly than dangerous, the repeat infections our humid climate produces can genuinely wear a plant down over time. This guide walks through what these diseases look like, what causes them, which plants get hit hardest here in North Carolina, and how to prevent and treat them.

Key takeaways

Leaf spot and anthracnose are fungal leaf diseases that show up as spots, blotches, or scorched edges on leaves, and in bad years they cause early leaf drop. Most are cosmetic, but heavy infections year after year can weaken a plant.
Our warm, wet Triangle springs and falls are exactly what these fungi love. Splashing rain and overhead irrigation spread the spores, and crowded plantings that stay damp make it worse.
The usual NC suspects are dogwood anthracnose and spot anthracnose, Entomosporium leaf spot on red tip photinia and Indian hawthorn, cherry laurel shot hole, and Cercospora or Septoria spots on maple.
You can prevent most of it with airflow, watering at the base instead of overhead, raking up and destroying fallen infected leaves, and choosing resistant varieties.
We are licensed by the state of North Carolina to treat diseases on shrubs and trees. If you want it handled on a schedule, text us at 984-284-5399 for a look at your plants.

What is leaf spot and anthracnose, and what does it look like?

Leaf spot and anthracnose are both fungal diseases of the leaves, and in practice they overlap a lot. Leaf spot shows up as discrete spots, usually with a tan, brown, or gray center and a darker or reddish-purple border, sometimes with a yellow halo around the edge. Anthracnose tends to look more like irregular tan to brown blotches that follow the leaf veins and edges, and infected leaves can look scorched, curled, or distorted. As spots enlarge and merge, they cover more of the leaf surface, block photosynthesis, and trigger early leaf drop. In many cases the damage is mostly cosmetic and the plant survives fine, but severe or repeated infections can thin out a shrub or tree and reduce its vigor. Knowing the pattern of the spots is the first step to figuring out which disease you are dealing with.

Leaf spot by Lawn Panther in North Carolina — Leaf spot diseases pepper the foliage with dark, often ringed spots that spread and can trigger early leaf drop.

What causes leaf spot and anthracnose on shrubs and trees?

Most leaf spot and anthracnose diseases are caused by fungi that thrive in cool-to-warm, wet, humid weather, which is why they explode in our North Carolina springs and again in fall. The fungi survive the off-season in fallen infected leaves and in dead twigs, then release spores when the wet weather returns. Those spores spread mainly by splashing water, so rainfall and overhead sprinklers fling them from the ground and from leaf to leaf. Crowded plantings with poor air movement stay wet longer, which gives the fungus more time to infect. Wind, insects, and even garden tools can move spores from one plant to the next. In short: warm wet weather, splashing water, crowded plants, and last year’s infected leaves left on the ground are what keep the cycle going.

Common NC hosts: dogwood, photinia, Indian hawthorn, cherry laurel, and maple

A handful of plants get hit hardest here in the Triangle. Flowering dogwoods get both spot anthracnose, which causes small red-to-purple bordered spots on leaves and flower bracts and is mostly a cosmetic issue, and the far more serious dogwood anthracnose, which starts as tan spots with purple borders and can spread into twigs. Red tip photinia and Indian hawthorn are the classic Entomosporium leaf spot hosts, showing tiny round red spots that merge into big blotches and cause heavy leaf drop, and this is exactly why red tip photinia is barely sold anymore. Cherry laurels develop shot hole, where reddish leaf spots dry up and fall out, leaving the leaf looking like it was hit with buckshot. Maples and many shade trees get anthracnose plus Cercospora and Septoria leaf spots, which produce brown spots with yellow or dark borders during wet summers. If you can identify the host, you are most of the way to identifying the disease.

Disease	Main NC hosts	What it looks like	How serious
Spot anthracnose	Flowering dogwood	Small red-to-purple bordered spots on leaves and bracts	Mostly cosmetic; rarely needs spraying
Dogwood anthracnose	Flowering dogwood	Tan spots with purple borders; spreads to twigs and cankers	Serious; can kill susceptible trees
Entomosporium leaf spot	Red tip photinia, Indian hawthorn	Tiny round red spots merging into blotches; heavy leaf drop	Serious on photinia; often cosmetic on hawthorn
Cherry laurel shot hole	Cherry laurel, other Prunus	Reddish spots that dry and fall out, leaving holes	Usually cosmetic; not fatal
Cercospora / Septoria leaf spot	Maple, dogwood, shade trees	Brown spots with yellow or dark borders in wet summers	Usually minor; repeated leaf drop weakens the tree

How to prevent leaf spot and anthracnose

Prevention is where you get the most bang for your buck, because it breaks the disease cycle before spores ever get started. Space and prune plants for good airflow so the leaves dry out faster after rain and dew, since a dry leaf is a lot harder to infect. Water at the base of the plant with drip or a soaker hose instead of overhead sprinklers, because splashing water is the main way these spores spread, and members of the rose family like photinia and Indian hawthorn should never get overhead irrigation. Rake up and destroy fallen infected leaves in fall and winter, then refresh the mulch, so the fungus cannot overwinter and re-infect in spring. When you are replacing plants, choose resistant varieties, for example resistant Indian hawthorn cultivars or the more resistant Kousa-type dogwoods. These cultural steps alone will keep most cases mild.

Leaf spot fungus in North Carolina — Small leaf-spot fungi merge into larger blotches; on susceptible plants like red tip photinia they can defoliate the whole shrub.

Leaf Spot fungal disease in North Carolina by lawn Panther — Anthracnose shows as irregular blotches and dead patches, often following the leaf veins, on dogwoods, sycamores, oaks, and maples.

How to treat leaf spot and anthracnose once you have it

Once you already see spots, start with cleanup and airflow. Prune out and remove diseased leaves and dead twigs during dry weather to cut down on the spore supply, and rake up anything that has fallen so it does not reinfect new growth. Improve air circulation by thinning crowded branches, and switch off any overhead watering that is keeping the foliage wet. For plants with a history of bad infections after wet springs, a properly timed treatment program, applied by a licensed professional starting when new leaves emerge and repeated through the wettest stretch, protects that fresh growth as it comes in. Timing matters more than anything, because these treatments protect new leaves from getting infected rather than curing spots that are already there. For most shrubs, the combination of good cultural practices plus targeted, well-timed protection is what actually keeps them clean. For a professional diagnosis and treatment, see our tree and shrub pest control service, or keep disease pressure down all season with our tree and shrub maintenance plan. Leaf spot is one of several problems covered in our shrub and tree disease treatment guide.

What else looks like leaf spot?

Not every spot or blotch is a disease. Before you spray a fungicide, rule these out — they need a different fix, or none at all:

Fertilizer or chemical burn — brown, dead spots and scorched edges in a pattern that matches where spray or granules landed. It shows up fast, doesn’t spread on its own, and no fungus is involved.

Insect damage — stippling from mites and lace bugs, or ragged holes from chewers, can look spotty from a distance. Flip the leaf and look for the pest instead of spores.

Edema — small, corky, blister-like bumps on the leaf underside from the plant taking up more water than it can release. It’s a watering and humidity issue, not a disease.

Sunscald and mineral water spots — bleached or brown patches on sun-exposed leaves, or harmless white spots from hard sprinkler water, both mimic leaf spot.

True leaf spot and anthracnose spread over time, favor wet foliage, and show spots with defined edges or rings, or blotches that follow the leaf veins. If it’s spreading in humid weather and getting worse, it’s the disease.

Leaf spot treatment: DIY vs. hiring a pro

A lot of leaf spot is genuinely a DIY job. If your plant just has a light case of cosmetic spotting, cleaning up fallen leaves, watering at the base, and giving it better airflow will usually handle it, and there is no need to spray or call anyone. Where it is worth bringing in a pro is when a valuable dogwood, a whole hedge of photinia or Indian hawthorn, or a specimen tree gets hit hard year after year, because that is when timing, plant health, and correct diagnosis really matter. We are licensed by the state of North Carolina to treat shrubs and trees, so we can identify what you actually have, put it on a properly timed schedule, and keep it protected through our wet Triangle springs. That is the difference between guessing and getting it handled right. If you are not sure which camp your plants fall in, text us a photo at 984-284-5399 and we will tell you honestly whether it is a DIY fix or worth a visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most brown, purple, or black spots on shrub leaves are caused by fungal leaf spot diseases that thrive in warm, wet weather. The spores spread by splashing rain and overhead watering, and they survive the winter in fallen infected leaves. Crowded plants that stay damp are the most likely to be affected.

Start by removing and destroying the infected leaves and dead twigs, improving airflow around the plant, and watering at the base instead of overhead. For plants that get hit hard every year, a properly timed protective treatment applied to new spring growth is the most effective step. We are licensed in North Carolina to treat shrub and tree diseases if you would rather have it handled on a schedule.

Anthracnose is a group of fungal diseases that produce tan-to-brown spots and irregular blotches along the veins and edges of leaves, often making them look scorched or curled. It affects many trees and shrubs, including dogwoods and maples, and spreads in cool, wet weather. Most cases are cosmetic, but a few, like dogwood anthracnose, can be serious.

In most cases leaf spot is more unsightly than dangerous, and the plant recovers once the weather dries out. The concern is repeated heavy infections year after year, which cause enough early leaf drop to slowly weaken a shrub or tree. A few diseases, like dogwood anthracnose, are genuinely damaging and need attention.

Those red spots are almost certainly Entomosporium leaf spot, the disease that made red tip photinia so hard to grow that it is rarely sold anymore. It starts as tiny round red spots that merge into blotches and cause heavy leaf drop, and it is worst after wet spring and fall weather. Better airflow, base watering, and cleaning up fallen leaves help, but severe cases usually need a timed treatment program.

Yes, leaf spot and anthracnose spread readily, mostly through splashing water that carries spores from leaf to leaf and plant to plant. Wind, insects, and garden tools can move it too, and a given fungus usually spreads to closely related plants. Removing infected leaves and keeping foliage dry are the best ways to slow it down.

That is usually shot hole disease, where leaf spots form, dry up, and drop out, leaving small round holes that look like buckshot. It shows up in mild, wet weather and is mostly cosmetic rather than harmful. Raking up fallen leaves and improving airflow keeps it in check.

The best time to protect susceptible plants is in early spring, right when new leaves emerge, because treatments protect fresh growth rather than curing existing spots. In our wet Triangle springs, protection often needs to continue through the rainy stretch and sometimes again in fall. Text us at 984-284-5399 and we will time it to your plants.

Spots and Blotches Taking Over Your Shrubs Every Spring?

Leaf spot is beaten with airflow, base watering, and well-timed protection on new growth. We are licensed to treat shrubs and trees in NC. Text us a photo for an honest read.

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Sources

NC State Extension – Diseases of Dogwood in North Carolina

Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC – Indian Hawthorn

Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC – Photinia (Red Tip)

NC Cooperative Extension – Shothole Disease on Cherries

Ken Erickson Chief of Ops

Ken is the unofficial chief of operations for LawnPanther.com. He handles the website content, marketing, engineering, as well as running the turf and weed control side of the business. Ken resides in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, holds a license for applying herbicides and pesticides on lawns and ornamental plants with the state of North Carolina. His background is in environmental biology, chemistry, and safety engineering, working for the USDOE in both research and administration. He plays a supporting role, helping his son Aidan run Lawn Panther. He formulates the herbicide and fertilizer programs applied across the south Raleigh suburbs for Lawn Panther. Ken is a life member of the American Foreign Legion, Post 116 and the Disabled American Veterans. He holds a BS in Marine Science, an MS in Environmental Science, and a MS in Public Health (MSPH) and brings decades of retired-career experience in chemical oceanographic research, chemical and biological safety, and environmental health management. Since Ken has been retired he spends his time in his large yard planting and cultivating landscapes. He is very familiar with most of the ornamentals grown in the south as well as diseases and treatments. Ken writes Lawn Panther's technical content on turf science, weed identification, pesticide handling, application safety, and environmental stewardship — translating regulated-industry experience into practical guidance for homeowners and HOAs. He personally comes out to consult with clients regarding many issues on plant health. Ken is certified through Hunter University as a Lighting Designer and a Lighting Specialist — the manufacturer training program behind FX Luminaire landscape lighting — and applies that design and troubleshooting background to Lawn Panther’s landscape and holiday lighting work.

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