The Arkansas Plant Health Clinic

What's wrong with my plant?

If you have questions about the damage to or symptoms of your plants, our plant health clinic can help.

Submit plant samples online

Learn how to submit a plant sample

You can also submit a plant sample online through our DDDi system.

Arkansas Plant Health Clinic, located in Fayetteville, Ark., is supported by the Cooperative Extension Service, (CES), as part of the Division of Agriculture. The clinic serves Arkansas growers, homeowners and nurserymen who have plant disease problems or other plant health issues.

Notice:  We are back in the Cralley Warren building in our normal lab.  The Plant Health Clinic is still restricted for entry.  We have a drop off tub at the clinic entrance and the main building entrance.  We will go outside to talk to clients wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

How to help make an accurate diagnosis

1.  First, a good sample should represent the range of symptoms that you observe. Symptoms include leaf spots, fruit rots, wilting, yellowing, etc. Plants that are dry or completely rotted are of little use for a diagnosis, so the fresher the sample, the better the chances of a correct disease identification. Collect your samples early in the week. This minimizes the possibility of the sample being held over the weekend at the post office

2.  The second thing that you can do to help ensure an accurate diagnosis is to provide important background information about the plant. Accurate information is extremely important in formulating a diagnosis and offering control suggestions to you. Please provide this information to your county Extension office, or include the information with the sample if mailing it directly to the Plant Health Clinic. Interested parties may request an account at www.dddi.org/UA/ and fill out the information online. Be sure to include such things as (1) your name, phone number and email address, (2) name of the plant, (3) description of the problem, (4) age of the plant, (5) sun exposure, (6) any drainage issues and (7) any fungicide, weed killers, insecticides and fertilizers used. This information should be as complete as possible to give a clear history and description of the problem. If possible, submit a photograph of the affected area in the landscape, garden or field. Photos are especially useful for lawn or field problems.

How the diagnosis process works

Samples are submitted through county offices, and by walk-in at the Clinic in Fayetteville.

All samples are entered into the Plant Health Clinic's Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging database. dddi.uaex.edu .DDDI samples are archived for documentation of individual activity, for later retrieval and for educational use.

Currently, Sherrie Smith, (pictured at the Little Rock Flower and Garden show) serves as Plant Pathologist/Instructor and diagnostician. Smith began her career at the Plant Health Clinic in January 2006 after completing her M.S. degree in plant pathology at the University of Arkansas. The clinic is under the direction of Interim Department Head of Plant Pathology and Entomology Ken Korth. The clinic also has a portable lab that Sherrie Smith takes to field days, flower and garden shows, and Master Gardener events.

Download Landscape Problem Guide

Annual Summary Reports

Plant Health Resources The Plant Health Clinic's A to Z index of plant diseases found in the Plant Health Clinic's newsletters since 2006. Plant Health Clinic A to Z index

Plant Disease Image Library Our plant disease image library contains 1000's of images to help you determine what is ailing your plants... Click here to visit the Plant Disease Image Library