Luc's Garcinia Disaster

[cos]

What can be done? Never seen this kind of damage on any of my plants on my place. Just began earlier this month. Any help greatly appreciated.

[luc]

How old and tall is the plant ? Did you have it in full sun already ? I wouldn't worry too much they are tough and it will recuperate .

[cos]

About three and half feet tall. Have been in the sun at least two years. About three and half years old. Very slow growing but will come out with sudden bursts of colored foliage. Have put a lot of effort into the plants and don't want to lose them now. Thanks for informing me about their strength.

Still, if anybody has any idea of what happened, I would like to correct it.

Thank you very much Luke for all of your help.

[dwfl]

I've noticed some seedlings pop out like that but end up growing new foliage out of those "dead" ends of the branches. Don't worry too much right now. It should be fine. Keep a look out for caterpillar that likes to eat foliage.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

some of mine do the same thing...the foliage is deformed..i'm not sure if it's from a bug, or from poor growing conditions...but the trees keep growing, and eventually recover, but it takes a long time, cuz it seems like they only push out about 2-4 flushes of growth in a year.

[Mike T]

My larger one was deformed until it got to 5 feet and it grew out of it. It didn't appear to be due to excess sun, nutrition, soil health, insect pests,fungi or anything else obvious. It is about 7 feet tall now. A smaller one also displayed the deformed leaf thing for a while before it snapped out of it and woke up to itself. Its spot,climate and conditions were also perfect or even better than that.

[fruitlovers]

I've noticed some seedlings pop out like that but end up growing new foliage out of those "dead" ends of the branches. Don't worry too much right now. It should be fine. Keep a look out for caterpillar that likes to eat foliage.

Yes it'a caterpillar called mangosteen caterpillar. They are very difficult to spot as they munch the plants only late at night. Keep the plant sprayed or powdered with BT (Bacillus thuringensis). It's marketed as Dipel and some other brand names. These caterpillars much prefer mangosteen and button mangosteem, but will munch Luc's garcinia if no other garcinias are around. They prefer to eat new growth and flowers. Alternatively you could also net the plant with some material like Reemay (row cover)_

[alan]

I had the exact same problem.  I discovered it right after the problem started and found the caterpillar causing the damage.  Not long after, the plant put out 10 leaves (5 pairs) all looking very good.

[alan]

Here is mine with the damage along with the new leaves that came after.

[cos]

thank you all
great help & relief

[luc]

Hey .....I learned something new ...never heard of this caterpillar . I have enough problems keeping the possums of my fruiting mangosteen , had to tie one of the dogs to the tree ..

[dwfl]

Yeah I remembered Oscar had previously mentioned a caterpillar in Hawaii that attacked garcinia leaves and Cos lives in Hawaii. Maybe go outside with flashlight at night time and see if you can catch a caterpillar in the act?

[cos]

Sounds like a fun nite

[dwfl]

Sounds like a fun nite

 


Mangosteen caterpillar - ctahr - University of Hawaii

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/ip-14.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwivu42JzOXOAhWDMyYKHUm8BMsQFggeMAA&usg=AFQjCNGJlBlBV_AiMEFQxOY7ee-BP6JjBg&sig2=uaGbFzOJEUiSeik-rQWw5g

[cos]

Excelent
THANKS

[cos]

as an update
could not get BT locally so tried neem & can see new uneaten leafs coming out !