I just planted a pear tree this year (Bartlett). About 2 or 3 weeks ago, orange spots started to develop on the leaves. See attached picture. What is the problem? How can I treat it? Thank you.
Elai pear trellis rust has two hosts a juniper and a pear. there are no readily available chemical controls for this available in this part of canada. Cause: Gymnosporangium fuscum, a fungus. The disease affects pear and juniper which is the alternate host of the fungus. The disease is established only in southern British Columbia and Contra Costa County, California. It was found on pear in the Bellingham, WA area just south of the Canadian border in 1997. Symptoms: Yellow to bright orange leaf spots appear on leaves, fruit, twigs, and branches of pear. Occasionally, infected fruit mummifies. Acorn-shaped aecia form on the lower leaf surface. They are up to 6 mm high and rupture along lateral slits. Aecia can develop by mid-June. Cultural control: 1. Eliminating either host is the only practical cultural control. If pear is the important plant, remove all juniper from a 1,000-ft radius. 2. keep the plant well fed. Do a soil test to see what the nutrient content is first) I hope this helps
Hi Pierrot, Thank you so much for the reply. The key question is: what is a juniper? I am actually not sure. Is any pine/cypress type of trees considered juniper? I have two such type of tree/bush in my front yard. See attached pictures. Please advise if they are juniper. Will the trellis rust damage my young pear tree? Will the tree bear fruit? Does it help if I rip off all the infected leaves? Will it help for next year if I spray the tree with copper spray? My neighbor has a couple of huge trees of this family, which I am almost sure that they will not remove. Maybe I have to give up my pear tree? We planted it to celebrate my daughter's birth. Anyway, I really appreciate your help. Elma
I am experiencing the same problem except that my trees have been growing for over then years. Whereas I would normally expect to see many fruits showing on the trees, there are none at this time. What is the problem and how do I treat it?
Hi Elma both plants you have posted pictures of are junipers. no pines and cypresses are just that pines and cypresses >>Will the trellis rust damage my young pear tree? eventually but keep the tree well watered and spray with copper it will slow the disease down enough that ... >>Will the tree bear fruit? yes with time >>Does it help if I rip off all the infected leaves? no >>Will it help for next year if I spray the tree with copper spray? yes it will be a constant thing. I think you should enjoy the tree for what it is a celebration of your daughter. The fruit and leaves will look ugly but not be poisoned by the fungus. just wash the fruit before you eat them.
Hi Pierrot, Thank you so much for all your advice. I really appreciate it. How often should I spray the tree with copper? Elma
I have a pear tree (Sierra) and a pear-apple tree, both of which have been growing for over ten years. I have recently noticed (for the first time) the leaves on both trees affected by orange coloured spots and, although both trees are normally heavily laden with fruit by this time of year, neither is now showing any fruit at all. I also have juniper bushes growing about 80 to 100 feet from the pear trees and these too have been growing for some twenty years. Would my problem be that which you have diagnosed for Elai i.e.Pear trellis rust? and, if so, if I remove the juniper will the pear trees return to normal?
jack the disease is a systemic disease. that is to say it is in the vascular tissues of the tree similar to how malaria acts in humans. the tree will be relatively healthy. once infected its going to be infected for life so there is no reason to remove or relocate either the juniper or the pear. in the case of the disease it is sort of the kevin costner disease. "if you plant it it will come" (sic)!! so if you have a pear in the Vancouver area it will at some stage get pear trellis rust. Junipers in our surrounding area have one stage of the disease and the pears will have the other. a regular spray of a fixed copper 14-21 days (interval usually depends on the weather and be careful about temperatures you spray at!) usually slows but does not eliminate the disease. get a soil test done to see if the soil is fertilie and act on its recommendations Aloha
Many thanks Pierrot. I appreciate your time and trouble in providing me with this information. Ciao, Jack
Hello, @pierrot I think I have a rust mite infestation on my pear tree. I initially thought it was ants, which I dealt with. And then I thought it was Pear Trellis Rust, but I notice very large growths under the leaves, and the fruit (although really tasty) is scarred. After some looking around the Internet, it sounds like rust mites. I caught this too late (just now). Is there anything I can do to mitigate the damage and allow the fruit to mature? Any natural spray? Or just wait until the leaves fall and then treat the tree? The pear tree is close to 35 years old and essentially neglected until this year. Many thanks. Alden
