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Strange leaves on crabapple

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From: Carrie Dodd
City:
Mettawa, IL
My crabapple tree is growing strange looking leaves at the ends of most branches. The normal leaves are oval shaped, glossy and dark green. The new ones are three lobed, lighter green and have a soft or downy appearance. There is also some (caterpillar?) damage, including large and small holes. Some leaves are deformed between the three-lobed and oval shapes. And today I spotted a couple of bright orange spots.

I have searched all over but cannot find anything about the sudden change in leaf shape.

 
Extension Message
From: Richard Hentschel
Extension Educator, Horticulture
DuPage/Kane/Kendall Unit
hentsche@illinois.edu
I believe what you are seeing is the variation that can occur during times of fresh growth on certain cultivars of Crabapple. This is normal and leaves can be a simple leaf changing to one that is lobed.

 
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