Garden Pests and Diseases: New Leaves "Cupping" on Hibiscus and ONE (of 6) Datura??? , 0 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
I will post several pictures below. I have NEVER seen this before!

These are all in a long bed--the full width of my house wall-facing South/West. It gets really good light until late evening, when the house next door shades it a bit. I have grown this Hibiscus in the same spot for at least 5 years and have also grown Daturas there for about the same length of time.

The Hibiscus in question are two different, perennial ones. The greener one is a tall, older variety of a red one and a white/pinkish one all growing in the same clump.

The darker-leafed one is a Kopper King Hibiscus I planted 3 years ago. There was no problem last year. Also, I have a KK Hib. on the other side of the house that has totally blown me away by growing 5 feet tall. Both Hibiscus are in bud at this time. Neither has bloomed yet.

I am NOT a novice gardener and "know" what I am doing. This cupping up of the leaves has me baffled though. It is NOT Thrips, as far as I can tell (as I anticipate some of you suggesting). The leaves are NOT dying off--they are just curling up/cupping and on the Datura, it seems almost like they are "mummifying"--very hard, thick, distorted and leathery to the touch. I sprayed once with a garden insecticide, but nothing changed.
The buds are continuing to look OK. I can't yet tell if they will also be dwarfed.

I hope I have given you good enough descriptions of this problem to help me out.

Thanks for any help you can offer. Please ask any questions if something is not clear. I can also post pictures of both Hibiscus from previous years- if needed.

Gita

This first picture is of the older, perennial Hibiscus (the red and white ones mixed). These are about 5' tall.
I hope you can see that only the newer leaves are curling up, not the ones below.