Author Topic: Rollinia bark disease  (Read 2809 times)

rtdrury

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Rollinia bark disease
« on: October 06, 2019, 07:56:24 PM »
I've had two rollinia trees and both died from a bark problem.  There isn't a visible fungus on the surface, but rather the bark eventually erodes away to reveal a 1/8 inch deep hollowed area.  No evidence of insect activity so it's probably a fungus.  Strange that something is attacking under what looks like a healthy bark outer skin.  It seems to occur on the side of the trunk that gets the most sun, but they didn't get full sun, rather only a few hours per day.  The trees grow and fruit vigorously here.  No problems except for this disease.  Ever seen this anyone?
« Last Edit: October 06, 2019, 08:07:13 PM by rtdrury »

sunny

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2019, 08:12:35 PM »
I had 5 rollinia's die in the wet season.....don't know why.

xmario

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2019, 01:03:20 PM »
How old were they when they died? I would have sprayed the bark with a copper solution if you believe it was a fungus rather than insects.

I flood my two rollinias every day and they look very good...12ft tall in 2 years from seed and already flowered, both being shaded by neighbor trees. Should fruit first time next year.

I had 5 rollinia's die in the wet season.....don't know why.
I've had two rollinia trees and both died from a bark problem.  There isn't a visible fungus on the surface, but rather the bark eventually erodes away to reveal a 1/8 inch deep hollowed area.  No evidence of insect activity so it's probably a fungus.  Strange that something is attacking under what looks like a healthy bark outer skin.  It seems to occur on the side of the trunk that gets the most sun, but they didn't get full sun, rather only a few hours per day.  The trees grow and fruit vigorously here.  No problems except for this disease.  Ever seen this anyone?
- Marius

sunny

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2019, 06:18:03 AM »
How old were they when they died? I would have sprayed the bark with a copper solution if you believe it was a fungus rather than insects.

I flood my two rollinias every day and they look very good...12ft tall in 2 years from seed and already flowered, both being shaded by neighbor trees. Should fruit first time next year.

I had 5 rollinia's die in the wet season.....don't know why.
I've had two rollinia trees and both died from a bark problem.  There isn't a visible fungus on the surface, but rather the bark eventually erodes away to reveal a 1/8 inch deep hollowed area.  No evidence of insect activity so it's probably a fungus.  Strange that something is attacking under what looks like a healthy bark outer skin.  It seems to occur on the side of the trunk that gets the most sun, but they didn't get full sun, rather only a few hours per day.  The trees grow and fruit vigorously here.  No problems except for this disease.  Ever seen this anyone?

1 was 1 year old and the others were seedlings from 3 months old.

I still have one seedling left and that's my baby now....

shot

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2019, 09:55:57 AM »
rtdrury I have seen borers in annona trees under bark,but not in very long time when lived inland.

Guanabanus

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2019, 02:34:36 PM »
Sounds like old sunburn that killed the bark and cambium layer, when the tree was still in a pot and falling over on windy days.  The damage can take many months or over a year to be very noticeable.
Har

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2019, 06:09:27 PM »
Rollinias are the most sensitive plant I’ve grown to soil PH.  They like very acidic conditions.  They dislike the calcium carbonate infused water that you find in a typical Florida water and will start to develop black spots on the bark, drop leafs and wither away.  I lost 90 trees because of my Florida water.  I dump a thick layer of raw donkey/mule manure about 10” deep.  This creates acidic conditions and the trees  will recover but i don’t water them again.  Just keep them deeply mulched. 

shot

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2019, 06:54:21 PM »
I was over at friends house yesterday who was using aquaculture water on his plants and the rollinias were almost blue green in color no other fertilizer they were spectacular !

sunny

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2019, 07:01:45 PM »
Rollinias are the most sensitive plant I’ve grown to soil PH.  They like very acidic conditions.  They dislike the calcium carbonate infused water that you find in a typical Florida water and will start to develop black spots on the bark, drop leafs and wither away.  I lost 90 trees because of my Florida water.  I dump a thick layer of raw donkey/mule manure about 10” deep.  This creates acidic conditions and the trees  will recover but i don’t water them again.  Just keep them deeply mulched.

Mine were growing in peat and coffee grinds....but that clogged up the soil, think they died from overwatering.

rtdrury

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2019, 01:24:34 AM »
xmario, the 2 rolinnias were 2 to 3 years old when planted, and died 1 to 2 years later, so 5 to 6 ft tall trees, trunk diameter 3/4" to 1 ", vigorously growing, even fruiting when killed by the fungus.  I think they were as healthy as they could be, so this is a fungus they have no defense against, out of their native range.  Florida is full of crazy pathogens.

fruitlovers

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2019, 02:01:05 AM »
Rollinias here very susceptible to borer beetles. Did you dig down to make sure there are no holes? If not beetles then probably Har is right and it's sunburn. They are not very susceptible to fungus, as far as i know.
Oscar

Ulfr

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2019, 05:03:30 PM »
Has it ever had frost damage? I have had what looked like very slight damage to a trunk before that then rotted from underneath.

00christian00

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2019, 12:52:45 PM »
Rollinias are the most sensitive plant I’ve grown to soil PH.  They like very acidic conditions.  They dislike the calcium carbonate infused water that you find in a typical Florida water and will start to develop black spots on the bark, drop leafs and wither away.  I lost 90 trees because of my Florida water.  I dump a thick layer of raw donkey/mule manure about 10” deep.  This creates acidic conditions and the trees  will recover but i don’t water them again.  Just keep them deeply mulched.
Ooooh, that explain why I never managed to keep one alive....

rtdrury

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2019, 10:01:19 PM »
Rollinias here very susceptible to borer beetles. Did you dig down to make sure there are no holes? If not beetles then probably Har is right and it's sunburn. They are not very susceptible to fungus, as far as i know.

I'm sure there is no insect boring.  It's the cambium layer, about 1/8" layer between the paper-thin outer bark and the heartwood. This cambium layer kind of disappears.  Imagine the outer layer of bark losing its cylindrical curvature and instead it goes flat.  It's because the cambium under it disappeared.  Very strange.

rtdrury

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2019, 10:04:12 PM »
Has it ever had frost damage? I have had what looked like very slight damage to a trunk before that then rotted from underneath.

Never any frost damage on this second tree.  But it is rotted looking, dark brown/black under the paper-thin outer bark layer, but the heartwood is preserved, so this is the 1/8" cambium layer, I think.

sunny

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2020, 08:54:48 PM »
My rollinia starts to look bad...it has good raised soil, slow release fertilizer...water every 2 days....any idea's what's wrong here?




My guess is the water which can be no good...
« Last Edit: January 20, 2020, 08:56:56 PM by sunny »

Guanabanus

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2020, 07:47:38 AM »
Check for Potato Leaf Hoppers on the undersides of new leaves.  The hoppers hide rapidly when you disturb the leaves.

I think I see two in your picture, but it is not clear enough when blown up.

Just a few hoppers are enough to cause toxicity.
Har

sunny

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2020, 09:36:45 PM »
Check for Potato Leaf Hoppers on the undersides of new leaves.  The hoppers hide rapidly when you disturb the leaves.

I think I see two in your picture, but it is not clear enough when blown up.

Just a few hoppers are enough to cause toxicity.

Yes i found them, they are small...i sprayed neem 4% on them.....thank you!

rtdrury

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Re: Rollinia bark disease
« Reply #18 on: February 20, 2020, 10:11:22 PM »
My rollinia, about 6 ft tall, 1 inch dia. trunk, very healthy, vigorous, in November 2019 after 1 year in ground developed this cambium layer fungal deterioration under the bark in many spots along the trunk, and all branches were devastated by this so I ended up with nothing but a trunk.  In January 2020 the trunk started leaf budding again, so now, Feb, a few new branches are growing on out.  This was after my first rollinia (5 ft tall) died completely from this fungus along the trunk (with a dozen young fruit on it!).  Since my newest tree is surviving, I think if one gives them special treatment, like cover the trunk with moss to protect from sun, lower the soil PH like some guys said (oak leaves, etc), mulch heavily like some said, water well, maybe it can tolerate the fungus.  I know they have extremely shallow root systems - I've seen large rollinias easily knocked over by wind.  Thanks everone for the input.