1. Herbicide Damage -
Certain phenoxy type herbicides such as the commonly
used
2,4-D are known to cause leaf distortion. This
is not so bad when it is happening to a dandelion in
the lawn but when non-target plants are affected, it
becomes a problem. Take care to avoid any
misapplication of herbicides in the landscape to
prevent spraying nearby plants or allowing drift on
a windy day.
2. Insect Damage -
Sucking or rasping insects such as
thrips,
aphids,
scales,
mealybugs,
leafhoppers,
spider mites and
whiteflies
may cause leaf distortion. During their feeding,
they remove sap or damage leaf tissue which may
cause the leaves to curl or otherwise become
distorted.
3. Frost Injury -
Cold temperatures can freeze plant cells and cause
them to burst. When this happens around the edges of
the leaf, it can become twisted and distorted.
4. Drought - Lack of
adequate water will cause the leaf to curl.
5. Disease - Fungal
diseases such as peach leaf curl can cause a
discoloration and distortion of the leaf of certain
plants. Also, virus infection can cause leaves to
twist and turn in unusual ways.
