While peach trees typically sport bright green foliage, some varieties exhibit striking reddish-purple leaves. If you’ve noticed red leaves on your peach tree, you may be wondering why this is occurring and how to care for a purple-leaf peach tree. Read on to learn what causes red leaves, recommended care tips, and the best red-leafed peach varieties to grow.
What Causes Red Leaves on Peach Trees?
There are a few potential causes for red leaves on a peach tree:
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Fungal infections – Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease that affects trees in cool wet weather. It causes puckered distorted leaves that turn reddish in color. Providing good air circulation and spraying with fungicide can help prevent infections.
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Pest infestations – Insects like aphids mites, and scales can feed on peach trees, leading to red-colored stressed foliage. Monitor for pests and use appropriate organic treatments.
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Nutrient deficiencies – Lack of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or other nutrients can interrupt chlorophyll production, revealing red pigments Fertilize regularly with a balanced organic fertilizer
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Environmental factors – Excess sun, drought, extreme temperatures, or waterlogging can cause leaves to redden. Ensure proper site conditions and care.
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Genetics – Some peach varieties are bred to have naturally purple-red foliage, like the ‘Bonfire’ cultivar.
Caring for Purple-Leaf Peach Trees
Caring for purple-leaf peach trees is similar to other peach varieties. Here are some tips:
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Plant in well-draining soil in full sun. Avoid soggy sites.
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Water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to partially dry out between waterings.
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Apply a 2-4 inch mulch layer to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Avoid mulch touching the trunk.
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Fertilize in early spring and midsummer with a balanced organic fertilizer.
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Prune to an open vase shape in late winter. Remove crossing, damaged, and inward-facing branches.
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Monitor regularly for pests and diseases. Treat organically at the first sign of problems.
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In late fall, apply a copper fungicide spray to prevent leaf curl infections.
Best Red-Leafed Peach Varieties
Popular red-leafed peach cultivars include:
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‘Bonfire’ – Grows to 5 feet tall/wide. Hardy in zones 5-9. Purple leaves, pink spring blooms, yellow peaches in summer.
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‘Patio Bonfire’ – A dwarf variety growing just 4 feet tall/wide. Purple foliage and juicy, red-skinned peaches.
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‘Peppermint’ – Grows 10-15 feet tall. Dark red leaves emerge pink, then fade to green. White spring blooms and yellow peaches.
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‘Cherokee Red’ – Large 8-10 inch red peaches. Foliage emerges deep purple-red before fading to green.
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‘Bonanza’ – Grows to just 3-4 feet tall. Deep purple leaves and abundant harvest of peachy-red skinned fruits.
The Takeaway
While red leaves on a peach tree can be alarming, this symptom usually has a manageable cause, whether it’s fungus, pests, or natural genetics. With proper care, most peach trees will thrive, allowing you to enjoy their fresh harvests and charming seasonal displays. The ‘Bonfire’ cultivar offers lasting deep purple foliage combined with sweet peach fruits for an eye-catching addition to any garden.
Phytophthora Root & Crown Rot
Root and crown rots are very important diseases that affect stone fruits. Trees often die within a few weeks or months of showing the first signs of disease. Other times, the death is slow and spreads out over several growing seasons. Fungi in the genus Phytophthora cause the disease, which is worst in places that don’t drain well.
Infected trees have stunted shoot growth and leaves become sparse, small, and yellow. Fruit will be small and sunburned. Shoot and scaffold limb dieback occurs as the disease progresses. Crown rot can be seen as black, rotting spots on the root crown or trunk base close to the ground. Cankers that exude a gummy resin are often present. Root rot symptoms include few feeder roots being present, with the remaining roots often decayed.
Prevention & Treatment: There is no chemical control available for crown and root rot in the home garden. The most important control strategy is careful water management. Try to plant your trees shallow, maybe even shallow, on a 6” to 10” raised bed. Do not overwater trees. Select well-drained sites for planting, and improve drainage of the existing location.
At first, trees that have the oak root rot fungus (Armillaria species) look like they are growing slowly, have shorter ends, and turn an odd green color. As the root rot gets closer to the root crown, the tree may fall over at any time of the year, either all at once or in large parts. There are no root sprouts present. When you pull back the bark from the ground, you can see a white layer of mycelium between the bark and the wood. The wood remains firm and intact.
Prevention & Treatment: There is no treatment or prevention once the tree is in the ground. Do not plant where oak trees have been removed. Do not replant with a peach tree or a susceptible species. Again, planting the tree shallow on a raised bed will help extend tree life.
Peach Tree Short Life
This sickness is brought on by the ring nematode, the bacterial canker organism (Pseudomonas syringae), changing winter temperatures, pruning at the wrong time of the year, and bad gardening techniques. Trees suddenly collapse shortly after leafing out or prior to leafing out in the spring of the year. Removing a piece of bark from the lower trunk has a characteristic sour sap odor. The root system appears healthy and frequently puts up a flush of sprouts.
Prevention & Treatment: Prune trees only in February and early March. Adjust the soil pH to 6.5 prior to planting and lime regularly to maintain this pH after planting. Select sites that are on heavier soils and are well-drained. There is no nematode control after planting for homeowners. Select peach trees that use the variety ‘Guardian’ for their rootstock. ‘Guardian’ is more tolerant of the ring nematode.
Do not replant old peach tree sites with new peach trees. If ring nematode is present, plant sorghum as a summer crop and Stacey wheat as a winter crop at least one year ahead of time, but two years is better. Fertilize to maintain at least 18 inches of new terminal growth per year. Remove all dead wood and dying branches as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that it’s usually not possible to get rid of diseases and bugs on big trees because a pesticide can’t reach all of the leaves. Prune peach trees to a height of 8 to 9 feet.
Spray Plan for Peaches: *Red Arrows Point to Important Fungicide Applications *Black Arrows Point to Optional Fungicide Applications *Note: Insecticides must be added to every application except when the peaches are in bloom.
Table 1. Fungicides Labeled for Peach Disease Control.
| Pesticide Active Ingredient | Examples of Brand Names & Products |
| Captan | Arysta Captan 50% Wettable Powder Bonide Captan 50% WP Drexel Captan 50W Hi Yield Captan 50W Fungicide Southern Ag Captan Fungicide |
| Chlorothalonil1 | Bonide Fung-onil Concentrate Ferti-lome Broad Spectrum Landscape & Garden Fungicide Concentrate Hi-Yield Vegetable, Flower, Fruit & Ornamental Fungicide Concentrate Monterey Fruit Tree, Vegetable & Ornamental Fungicide Ortho MAX Garden Disease Control Concentrate Southern Ag Liquid Ornamental & Vegetable Fungicide Concentrate Tiger Brand Daconil Concentrate |
| Copper Fungicides | Bonide Copper Fungicide (copper sulfate) Monterey Liqui-Cop Fungicidal Garden Spray Conc. (a copper ammonium complex) Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide (a copper ammonium complex) |
| Myclobutanil | Ferti-lome F Stop Lawn & Garden Fungicide Monterey Fungi-Max Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate |
| Propiconazole2 | Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control |
| Sulfur4 | Bonide Sulfur Plant Fungicide Ferti-lome Dusting Sulfur (also wettable for spray) Hi-Yield Wettable Dusting Sulfur (also wettable for spray) Southern Ag Wettable or Dusting Sulfur |
| Boscalid & Pyraclostrobin5 | Bonide Fruit Tree & Plant Guard Concentrate (also contains Lambda Cyhalothrin – an insecticide) |
| 1Do not apply chlorothalonil within one week before or after a horticultural oil spray application. The maximum number of applications of chlorothalonil is 3. Chlorothalonil is only for use during the late dormant period or for after harvest 2Make no more than 4 applications of propiconazole; apply at 21-day intervals. 3RTS = Ready to Spray (hose-end applicator) 4Never apply a horticultural oil spray within 2 weeks of a sulfur spray, and do not apply sulfur when the temperature is above 90 °F or to drought-stressed plants.| 5Bonide Fruit & Tree Plant Guard contains an insecticide and must not be applied during bloom. This product may be applied up to 5 times per growing season and has a 14-day PHI, which means do not apply this spray within 14 days of harvest.With all pesticides, read and follow all label instructions and precautions. | |
Pesticides are updated annually. Last updates were done on 5/21 by Joey Williamson.
If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at [email protected] or 1-888-656-9988.
Nancy Doubrava, Former HGIC Horticulture Information Specialist, Clemson UniversityR. W. Miller, Jr. , PhD, Emeritus Faculty, Plant Pathology, Clemson UniversityJames H. Blake, EdD, Extension Associate/Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University.
Guido Schnabel, PhD, Professor of Plant Pathology, Dept. of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Clemson UniversityJoey Williamson, PhD, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University.
This information is given with the understanding that it is not meant to be biased. The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service does not endorse any brand names or registered trademarks, and products or manufacturers that are not named are not meant to be biased either. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All pesticide use suggestions are only for South Carolina and were legal at the time of publication. However, state and federal regulatory agencies can change the status of registration and use patterns at any time. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.
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CAN PEACH TREES HAVE RED LEAVES?
FAQ
Why does my peach tree have red leaves?
What type of peach tree has purple leaves?
Should I remove peach leaf curl leaves?
Do peach trees turn red?
Being lucky enough to have peach trees in your yard is a real treat. If you take care of them well, you’re going to be able to enjoy delicious peaches every year. You likely love your peach trees quite a bit, but it’ll be quite a shock if you walk outside one day and discover that the leaves have turned red.
What causes red leaves on a peach tree?
Diseases and pests could be the cause of your red leaves. There are many types of diseases that can cause peach tree problems, and you might need to try to determine what’s going on. The most common diseases that you’ll need to worry about with peach trees will be fungal infections.
What is peach leaf curl?
Peach tree leaf curl is one of the most common disease problems affecting nearly all peach and nectarine cultivars. This fungal disease affects all aspects of these fruit trees, from blossoms and fruit to leaves and shoots. Learning about peach leaf curl symptoms is a crucial step in the treatment or control of this disease.
How do you know if a peach tree has leaf curl?
Symptoms of peach tree leaf curl include leaf curling and discoloration. Leaf color may be yellow, orange, red, or purple. There may also be deformed reddish colored warts on the leaves. Later leaves may turn gray or powdery looking. Fruit may also become infected, developing raised wart-like growths. Infected fruits often drop prematurely.
What does a peach tree look like?
The texture can sometimes feel slightly leathery, like a peach leaf, giving them an interesting tactile quality. Peach tree leaves in spring start as small buds that slowly open up, revealing light green and delicate new growth. The leaves look fresh and full of life during this season, adding a vibrant touch to the peach tree’s appearance.
Do peach trees have aphids?
Regularly inspecting peach tree leaves for signs of aphid presence is crucial so you can promptly address any issues before they escalate further. Fungicides play a crucial role in managing common diseases that affect peach tree leaves. Fungicides can be applied to prevent or treat fungal infections on the leaves.