Dying wax myrtle - Ask Extension
Thank you for your help! I’ve recently noticed that my wax myrtle is not very green & leaves are dead on the tree- it’s been with us a long ti...
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Dying wax myrtle #865504
Asked April 22, 2024, 7:31 PM EDT
Thank you for your help! I’ve recently noticed that my wax myrtle is not very green & leaves are dead on the tree- it’s been with us a long time, so looks like a tree. A quick glance online mentioned a potential problem could be a foliar fungus. I plucked a green leaf off & noticed red speckles all over it top & bottom. Any advice would help me in my next steps.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, we cannot diagnose a plant problem without clear, close up photos of the leaf and, if possible, the entire plant. While a potential problem may be this: https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/california-wax-myrtle-morella-californica-leaf-blight,
there are also several insect pests. Thanks for more information!
there are also several insect pests. Thanks for more information!
One photo I took after I wrote you is attached & I’ll send more
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Dayna Curtis
On Apr 23, 2024, at 12:40 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Thank you. That is helpful. It does appear to be the blight detailed my prior comment. If you read it, you'll note that removing and destroying any affected leaf (and stem) tissue is the only way to deal with it. Although there are chemicals which may be helpful, none of the 3 listed are available to homeowners. Good luck!
Thank you for assistance. Last question, if every stem has blight, should I take whole tree down or prune off every branch to see if new growth can happen next spring?
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Dayna Curtis
On Apr 23, 2024, at 2:23 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Dayna: as the article says, if every stem has the blight, the plant eventually will die. You can only do so much to maintain plants in a region where so many pathogens are out to "get them". Your choice.
