Araucaria araucana problem

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by vickieg, May 9, 2009.

  1. vickieg

    vickieg Active Member

    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    IMG_5526.JPG

    IMG_5527.JPG

    IMG_5529.JPG I have a beautiful monkey puzzle that seems to have some disease bothering the new growth at the tips of the branches. I've included a close up of the branch tip. One of the other pictures shows a branch that apparently recovered enough to put on new growth in following years - you'll notice the "bad spots" spaced along the branches. The other picture show branches that apparently lost their growing tip and haven't grown since. Luckily only a small percentage of the branches are affected. Please tell me what this is and how to control it.

    Thanks,
    Vickie
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2009
  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Doesn't look like a biotic disease. Maybe slight cold damage from the bad winter just gone, or perhaps some sort of nutrient imbalance?
     
  3. vickieg

    vickieg Active Member

    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    This has been going on for several years. This past winter was brutal - we lost a lot of plants. The winter before I don't think we even had a hard frost. Whatever it is, the growing buds stick shut so that the new needles don't open up. Only about 10% of the branch tips are affected and my other MP has no damage at all.
     
  4. K Baron

    K Baron Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Vancouver, B.C., Canada
    Have you seen this on any other similarly exposed A. in your neighbourhood/environs?

    It looks like winter kill?
     
  5. vickieg

    vickieg Active Member

    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    I have two monkey puzzles and the other one is about 30' from this one and it has no damage at all. Even on the affected one it's only a small percentage of the branches
     
  6. vickieg

    vickieg Active Member

    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    IMG_5529.JPG
    Should I cut off the brown dead looking tips that show up in this photo??
     
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Wondering if it might just be an individual with a minor genetic problem, perhaps due to inbreeding in the fairly small population of the species in cultivation.

    Pruning the brown tips - if you want to, do so, but I'd doubt it is really necessary.
     

Share This Page