Common Tree Diseases In Australia

The health of trees is an important part of many backyards and also parks here in Australia. Therefore, it's important to look after trees and quickly notice any signs of diseases or damage to the trees. Many tree diseases exist that can easily kill branches to the whole tree itself. Some of these diseases include:

Myrtle rust

Myrtle rust is an exotic fungal disease. It's a serious threat to Australian plants and can potentially kill large numbers of trees, particularly those growing in urban environments. Myrtle rust can affect any plant in the myrtle family, but it most commonly attacks bottlebrushes and swamp paperbarks. The fungus grows on new growth on trees, causing leaves to curl up and turn brown or yellow, eventually turning into black spots that fall off the tree prematurely.

Peacock spot

Peacock spot is a fungal disease that affects many eucalyptus trees, especially those growing in areas with high rainfall. Symptoms include small spots on leaves that are often oval or circular and are brown to black in colour. The spots eventually turn into small, raised blotches between 1-2 mm wide. Yellowing or greying of leaves appear near the veins as they get older and small dead patches appear on tree trunks and branches.

This disease is not serious, but it can affect how a tree grows and its ability to withstand drought conditions.

Cypress canker

 Small, brown or black spots appear on the branches and trunk. These spots can also have a yellow halo.

Remove infected branches so that they do not spread the infection to other parts of the tree. Do this as soon as you see signs of dieback in your cypress trees. If possible, prune back to healthy wood; if this is not possible then remove infected wood immediately with saws or loppers so that it does not remain exposed for any length of time in case it becomes rotten before removal.

Pink disease

Pink disease is a serious fungal infection that attacks leaves, twigs and branches on many species of trees including Eucalyptus and Acacia. The disease causes pale patches to develop on the leaves which gradually turn pink before falling off altogether. Infection also causes shoots to die back and may result in tree death if left untreated.

Root rot

Root rot is a common tree disease in Australia. It's caused by fungi that infect the roots of plants and cause them to rot, which can lead to the death of your plant. If left untreated, root rot can severely stunt growth and even kill your tree. To avoid this problem, you should make sure that your plant has enough water, so it doesn't dry out its roots too much. You may also want to invest in fungicides that will help prevent further infection if you notice signs of root rot beginning on your trees' leaves or stems.
 
If you’re experiencing tree disease and are wondering what to do next, don’t hesitate to contact Barlows Tree Services.