Vascular wilts are troublesome diseases of carnations. Infected plants first develop a dull green color and eventually wilt and turn straw-color.
Symptoms often appear on one section of the plant.
This is frequently followed by a general wilting and death of the entire plant. Plants may wilt in the middle of the day and seem to recover at night. Some plants may show no signs of infection until they come into flower, when they suddenly collapse. When the stem is cut, a brown discoloration or streaking may appear in the vascular tissues. Control of these diseases is difficult since the pathogens are commonly found in soil.