# Myroporum trees may be sick



## roger3125 (Feb 26, 2006)

I have myroporum trees averaging about 20 feet tall surrounding my pool. It is this time of year that they start showing new growth. I looked at them this morning and I saw modules among the leaves that I don't recall seeing before..although I may have just not noticed.

Please look at the attached pictures and tell me, if you can, if this is normal or do the trees need some special attention.

Thank you
roger3125

Yippes! How do I attach a jpg pic from MY Pictures. I'm using Windows XP
(Never mind...pheww)


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## roger3125 (Dec 15, 2006)

*Myroporum with black crude on the leaves*

Well since no one answered my last question about these trees I thought I'd go for two.

Had the trees sprayed by an aborist and they seemed to straighten out. Now they have some black dirt on many of the leaves. I took a few off and washed them and the crude came off.

My gardener says he sees that all over. We are in So Cal. Anyone know what this is and if there is something we can do to get rid of it?

Thank you and Happy Holiday to whom ever reads this.

roger3125


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## roger3125 (Dec 15, 2006)

*A thousand apologies*

I DID RECEIVE REPLIES TO MY QUESTION I was just to dumb to realize I had to sign in to read them. _ Duuuhhhh_

If you need pics I'll privide them.


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## roger3125 (Dec 15, 2006)

*Pics of my infamous Myroporum trees.*

Since I now know and feel confident I will get replies to my cries for help I am attaching some pics that I hope will help you understand my questions better.

One of of all the myroporum trees that give us privacy, some are closeups of the leaves with the unknown on them and one is of the one myropurum that looks like its on its last leg.

As you can the trees look pretty healthy except for that one. My thought is (assuming the others will enjoy old age) is to plan a new myroporum tree in the space to the right of that one tree. Assuming (again) myroporum is a fast growing plant I hope to be able to but off one limb of the sick tree to allow room to grow with the new myroporum.]

Please offer opinions as to what you think is causing the black crude, how to eliminate it and lastly how fast a myroporum tree grows. Ideally I'd like to have a least a 10 foot bush in that space by next year.

Again a big thanks
Roger3125


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## Treecareconcept (Dec 17, 2006)

*Black crud*

Don't know if this thread has been replied too. 'Cause I can't see any.
Sooty mold, usually caused by insect secretions. Get rid of the insect, get rid of the sooty mold.
Is this Myoporum laetum? Look for an insect called a Sharpshooter , _Graphocephala atropunctata_. These are small winged insects that have what we call piercing sucking mouths. They basically suck the stuff out of the leaves. The injury is what causes the leaves to curl up.
After you ID the culprit, plan your remedy accordingly.
Good luck


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## roger3125 (Feb 9, 2008)

*One year later*

I still have all but one of the myroporum shrubs (trees). Against the advice of an aborist I had the trees trimmed. I had no choice as the leaves and limbs were already above the pool. Cleaning the leaves and debre out daily was getting impossible

the trees are coming back but slower than they have in the past. I'm confident they will all be fine in the spring and summer...if they again aren't attacked by thrips.

The one furthest to the right is being taken out this week. Trunks from let to right, 1 and 2 are dead, truck 3 has some leaves but just bearly. So I've given up on it and out it goes.

I need to find 15 or 25-gal myroporum trees er excuse me bushes to fill in that area. My question to anyone that can help me where can I purchase these bushes. I called many nurseries in Orange Count (CA) and no one carries them. 

My second question would 15-gal myroporum bushes grow to say 10-ft or more during their first year? And what should I expect to pay for such a bush. Price not including planting. I possibly could use a 25-gal bush but the space I have is only 4-ft wide.

No signs of thrips as of today. Pheww


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## nicolleb (Apr 1, 2008)

*I believe Village Growers in Tustin CA.*

Is the best place to find your trees/bushes I have 40 I purchased from them and they are all healthy and doing well. To fight Thrip buy yourself some Pirate Bugs or "Double-Death" Predator Nematodes Kill Thrips Larvae Hatching In Soil. Hope this helps!


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## roger3125 (Apr 1, 2008)

*Myroporum trees are sick*

Thanks so much for your help. I was totally lost.

Since this last post I had that SiCk tree totally removed and replaced with two 24-gal mypoporum. That was about two weeks ago. Both look healthy and so far no thrips or curling leaves. Keeping my fingers crossed

<<Is this Myoporum laetum?>> I have no clue. My gardener bought them at Covina Nurseries. Thata ll I know. 

If what was harming them was thrips, and that is what has been told to me, what advice would you have should they return again this year?

I will definitely look into both Pirate bugs and the other mentioned.

If the culprit is a Sharpshooter would the treatment be the same?

And, hey, I really appreciate the help. THANKS


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## nicolleb (Apr 1, 2008)

*You are Welcome ;-)*

The tree's in the picture are Myoporum laetum. I was told they are bushes that strive to be trees. I am pruning mine to look like trees and they are so beautiful. When I heard the word Sharpshooter it made me think of grapevines because that is what they are know to infest. I have also used Bayer 3 in 1 but I think natural remedies are best and the bugs I mentioned before prey on Thrip larve, eggs and adults. here is a website you may find useful http://www.naturescontrol.com//thrip.html

good luck!!!:blob4:


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## roger3125 (Apr 1, 2008)

*Myroporum better now*

Funny I was looking at that site when I received this email. Quite informative.

I see you are also in CA. I'm in Orange County. You anyplace near? 

Since our Myraporum border our property and pool, the dropping leaves are a pain to continually sweep from the pool but for privacy they do their job well. I take it you have been more fortunate than I and have not been attacked by the whicked Thrips. Don't look forward to it. They almost had us thinking of having them all removed...._almost_

We were told by three differnt knowsledgable aborists that they 1. should not be watered but once a week for no more than 10 min 2.should be deep watered only once a month for 40 min and 3. should be watered daily for 5 minutes. Presently we are watering them for 10 min every day and they all seem happy and bug free.

Curious to know if your myropurom have been attacked nd if so what did you do

Again THANKS


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## nicolleb (Apr 2, 2008)

*Watering Information*

Forgot to mention the best thing about these trees/bushes is that they need very little water. We deep water our's once every two weeks for the last two years unless it rains of course Once they are about 12 feet tall we will water even less. The more you prune the base of the tree, and smaller branches along the bottom, the faster it will grow. It loves to be pruned about every two to three months all year round.:greenchainsaw: This advice is in relation to if you want a tree more than a bush.


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## roger3125 (Apr 2, 2008)

*Myraporum, caring for and protecting them*

According to my gardener I should water them for 10 min every day. They are now about 3 weeks old and look very healthy. No doubt I will water them less in a few weeks as they are already 12+ ft tall (recall they are 24-gal)

Can you describe how you deep water your bush/trees? Also do you know where i can purchase those bus that was mentioned to attack the trips. No sign of them now but I know they will be returning for diner later in the season.

You think is a good idea to have their enemy at home before they arrive?

Any other suggestions are welcome always


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## nicolleb (Apr 3, 2008)

*Deep Water Ritual*

Well, we water our trees once every two week's and each tree takes about 3-4 minutes which takes about two hours. Each tree has a deep 3 foot well around the perimeter so the wells hold a fair amount of water. 

I can imagine myoporums would be bothersome around a pool but when it comes to easy care, I dont think you could find a better tree/bush. Especially, when hot summers hit, the shade is so dense, eventually I will have a cool retreat to escape to in those hot summer months. I think that its good to pre-prepare the soil with predator bugs because you really cant see thrip until the damage is done. 

Thats just my humble opinion:computer: 

Glad I found another Myoporum Lautum lover in Cali, they are few and far between.


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## roger3125 (Apr 3, 2008)

*Myraporum trees*

<<Glad I found another Myoporum Lautum lover in Cali>>

Me too!

The difference between our situations is mine were planted some 35 years ago and their roots go whereever. Yours apprently were plnated propertyly and have their own well. I have yet figure out how to water them properly...and no one ha been able to tell me.

Its been three weeks at 10 min/day every day. In one week I will change to 4 times a week and see how they do.

Know where I can order some Pirate Bugs or "Double-Death" Predator Nematodes? I want them to be right a home before their diner arrives.


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## nicolleb (Apr 3, 2008)

*Your Plants are 35 Years old????*

 Wow!!!

I WISH mine were, I would have a shady oasis by now. I really believe 10 minutes a day is way too much, they are not the type of trees that require that type of daily watering. I am going to send you some interesting links about those trees you may enjoy. 
You can order predator bugs at http://www.naturescontrol.com/thrip.html

Interesting articles regarding Myoporums:
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1068

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58079/

http://www.mccabesnursery.com/Products Pages/Flowering Trees/Carson Myoporum.htm

http://images.google.com/images?q=myoporum+laetum&ndsp=20&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&start=0&sa=N


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## Katydid (Apr 23, 2008)

*Carpet Roses*

Anyone out there know what it is when some leaves on my carpet roses look like they have a white powder or white spray paint on them. We had some last year but thought it actually was paint that came our way when our neighbors paiinted their house. Don't have that excuse this year. We have lots of nice new branches, buds and aphids to deal with. Soapy water is what I usually use........any other ideas? One more pest we keep running into each year are these little tiny beatles that fly up in our face and they are usually in the process of making more beetles when we see them scurrying around, hooked together, on the ground. They multiply like crazy. Are they good or bad for the garden?


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## roger3125 (May 21, 2008)

*Myraporum with Aphids and/or Trhips*

I'm back after a year with the same song....and a little improvement but my saga continues.

You saw my Myraporum trees as they looked last year in previous posts. I am attaching portions as they look now.

The shrubs/trees actually look pretty good from upper-lower branches upward. The lower branches' leaves look horrible.

Assuming it was thrips making a return trip I hit them with Bayer Advance heavily and it seemed as if they laughed it off as more leaves were shriveling and falling.

I took a very close look at the leaves, both the shriveled and healthy leaves and found these little critter (see attched). My wife says they are Aphids I said I'd ask the experts....so here I am...asking.

Fingers crossed that it is indeed aphids but when attacked by aphids is it common for the leaves to shrivel up and look th way they do? I do not see the dots as I saw last year nor do I see any dark bodied insects crawling about. Just wht you se in the closeup.

Please if someone can offer some advice or confirmation tht it is aphids I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks guys


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