skip to main content

Strange canker disease on Plumeria

mjhuntingtonbeach

13 years ago

Hi folks. Over the past month I've noticed a strange canker developing on my Jeannie Moragne which is in it's third year from cutting for me. About a month ago I noticed some splitting on the trunk, figured it was just due to the trunk growing. Later, I noticed a sunken area - it covered about half the trunk, and seems to be gradually spreading to the point where I'm afraid it's going to girdle the tree (about three feet tall) and kill it.

It looks as if the living tissue in the outer bark has died down to the wood core. I noticed the same thing on a Kaneohe Sunrise cutting I had about two years ago near the soil line but when I raised the level of the plant in the pot it seemed to heal over. I took the attached pictures, and then looked around at my other plants and noticed something similar on a three year old Jungle Jack's Inner Peace.

Does anyone have any ideas of what this might be and how to treat it? I googled plumeria diseases and could only find the usual about rust, mildew and comments about how disease resistant plumeria normally are. No mention of this strange sort of girdling canker. I'm guessing I'll have to cut off the tree above the canker and re-root later in the summer but I'd really rather not.

And by the way, it's not sun scald as only a small portion of the trunk gets sun and we're just now getting out of our miserable June Gloom this week. And on the Inner Peace it seems to be starting on the underside of the branch.

Help!

Jeannie Moragne:

Inner Peace:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

josegabriele
13 years ago
I have had a similar problem. I have had a few plumeria s that are dead wood in the middle of the branch or trunk and have had to cut them and root them.

Joe
theresa1957
12 years ago
I have the same problem with one of my in ground plumerias (been in the ground for 4-5 years). The cracking and peeling of the bark has been severe and left just the core of the trunk. In fact, a couple of branches no longer have any strength and are hitting the ground. No one can seem to tell me what caused the problem. I have another plumeria that is developing splits like you've shown. Have you received any information regarding this condition? Thank you!
Related Discussions
large yellow spots on my plumeria stems
Q
Comments (2)
Based on your description that its only impacting the green wood of a mature plant it could be sunburn. I have seen similar on my plants too and besides aesthetics no long term damage was experienced. I would monitor to see if its spreading and if there is a concern then test an area with an anti-fungal treatment. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
...See More
Need help diagnosing diseased rose
Q
Comments (4)
Plant disease are soil related, so what is the soil you are growing these roses in like? When was the last soil test done and what did it show? What is the level of humus in your soil? How well does that soil drain? How well does that soil retain moisture? What kind of soil life does the soil have? Check with your local office of the Universtiy of Vermont USDA Cooperative Extension Service about haveing a good, reliable soil test done for base nutrient and soil pH levels and then dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what you have and get more help in what you need to do to make a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants. Here is a link that might be useful: UV CES
...See More
Tomato stem disease
Q
Comments (6)
My answers are assuming it's late post-emergent damping off. (1. All my plants are from seed. I don't put them out till they are 20 cm or taller and well hardened off. I transplant them in pots at least three times beforehand so that the stems are stout and the roots strong. Post-planting damping off seems unlikely - the stems are always thicker than a pencil.) Stem width has nothing to do with damping off. (2. The problem occurs at a particular time, not at a particular height. When I see the problem, I pull out the plant. Antifungal agents haven't ever helped.) Antifungal agents wouldn't help if it was damping off b'c the spores are in the soil. If you leave the plants in do they usually flop over and die? (3. The dry, corroded area looks a lot like alternaria stem canker (except it's only at the soil line) or the stem damage of wilt (except that the inner stem is very healthy looking and the leaves full and green). I wish I'd taken a picture before I dissected it...) While you spoke of a gnawed look above I'm actually glad you now speak of a corroded area b'c that's exactly what the symptoms look like and that corroded area is often constricted and has a brown tinge to it. Since wilt is a general term and doesn't relate to any one disease I'm not too sure I understand that part of your answer. (4. The recent cold spell is my primary suspect(a few of the nights were below 10 degrees C, which is the cut-off for tomato tolerance, although the daytime temps were 15 or higher). But if it is fungal in the soil, then why are some cages disease-free? It is the same soil, same weather. Conversely, it can't really be a critter, since the greenhouse coverings go right to the ground. Also, what critters like to chew on tomato stems, when there is very tasty cabbage and lettuce right next to it?!) Fungi are not evenly distributed in the soil so I can understand why some plants get it and some don't. And I too would pin it on low temps/bad weather. (5. I have never had damping off in pots. I plant seeds in vermiculite, which is pretty close to sterile. The soil is about .5 cm below the vermiculite, and the roots eventually find it. This prevents any fungal spores from sitting at the soil line.) The fungal spores don't sit at the soil line, they infect the plant through the roots of the plant. But I'm not sure what soil you're talking about under the vermiculite in pots, especially since you say you pot up about three times. (6. For the first time, yesterday I lost a young cabbage seedling in the same way. The stem at the soil line dried out and dried through. This seeding was about 10 cm tall and very healthy. It could have been damping off, although cabbage is usually pretty hardy in the cold. Strange.) I haven't taken the time to research what specific pathogens might be involved with damping off of cabbage, assuming it does occur. Cold lousy weather does encourage germination and growth of soil fungal pathogens so that makes sense to me as well. Again, have you ever seen damping off as your seedlings just emerge and if so, what artificial mix or whatever do you use for seed sowing? Alternaria Stem canker occurs almost exclusively in CA and I don't know where you live and garden, but the general color of the lesions would be about the same except that the lesions of Alt Canker are found all over the stems, one sided, not around the stem as you describe, and there are prominent leaf lesions as well. Just trying to help here. If what I've suggested doesn't resonate with you then I'm afraid I have no other ideas to put forth. Sorry. Carolyn
...See More
Disease on Pear?
Q
Comments (8)
I cant tell by the picture on my phone but spots on the leavrs mean fungus typically such as scab. A fungicide like will clear it up. Im more concerned with the cankers and not being able to see the pictures i cant tell but i would say spray with copper during the semi dormant season. We do that here after leaf drop. If you can get rid of the cankers your better off because they will be a point of future infection. Either carve off the canker if the branch is big and psint over with pruning seal or if its bad and a small branch get rid of the branch. Do any branches die back on the tips? If so i would suspect fireblight. If no dieback spray it with a fungicide only. Make sure if you cut off branches did the saw or shears in alcohol or a bleach solution so not to spread the infection. It sounds like common pear problems.
...See More
sunseeker53
12 years ago
Wow, I haven't seen anything like this before, but it is quite worrysome. Please post your findings if you ever find the information. Thanks!
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
12 years ago
Hello Everyone.

I agree with sunseeker, it doesnt look good.

Could it be some kind of beetle (borer) that is infecting them. I remember Karen from Maryland said that she had them at one point. Maybe you can find her email..if u have a hard time finding a post from her..email me and i can relay the message for you.

Is the stem still hard? SOft?

How many are infected?

One thought...if u wanted to try and do an experiment on one and see if this would help...

Take one of the limbs and use the tile and sealant that we all use in Brown ot tan,whuch ever matches your stem and "patch" it up with that.

It would be nice to see if there are answers to this...

Have you called FLorida Colors or ask anyone from MPG Forum?

Hope this helps...

Laura in VB
jandey1
12 years ago
Hm, the first six photos look like a sunburned area that split from the stress. It looks like cambium tissue starting to overgrow the dead sunburned area, trying to heal itself.

Then the seventh photo looks like all the "cankers" are starting at the point of leaf nodes, especially in the bottom node where you can see the black of possible rot. Maybe the rot caused dead tissue which, again, is being overgrown in an effort to heal the area.

The eighth photo also has what looks like sunburn. Maybe this is what happens when unusually hot weather is followed by periods of cooler, damp weather on a plant stressed by sunburn?
PRO
the_first_kms2
12 years ago
I have seen this on an outlying branch in one of my trees last year. I left it alone and have not observed ill effects. However...I am pretty sure it was not a flower producing branch this year nor did it put out much green wood. I don't know enough to say if its related or not.

I treated with Three in One Fungicide at a later point for spider mites (unrelated in my opinion) and gave a pretty good dousing to that area as an afterthought. Perhaps it helped.

I agree with Jen it may be sunburn related. It would seem odd to me that an insect would precisely attack at leaf nodes.

Maybe treat with a neem oil fungicide for 1 or 2 treatment cycles and then seal like Laura says? Or treat and let it scar over by itself. Supposition on my part but I don't think Neem oil has ever damaged a Plumeria.
PRO
the_first_kms2
12 years ago
Correction: after taking a closer look I found both tips on this branch have active inflos.
Andrew Alligood
2 years ago
Yes,me too!Agreat year for Tempest,Lunar Eclipse,Tesla Girl,Danai delightAussie Con.,I actually got a forming stalk on Crystal Rose[WOW,that one is super-coveted!!]but it didnt develop,drop pre-bud,but thats ok,it's only a year old.I noticed one of my massive aztecs had shed outer bark,but its old and massive,so..then Lunar E.developed a 'hole'almost,right by graft.Almost like overnite!It's propped and tied up now.I have some 55 asst.from all over,and now I see this appearing to some degree or another to 14!That's a terror call for me,as some cant be replaced!I was always seeing plumes in Fla,guzzling sun,hotter the better,but now I'm told remove em from late afternoon sun,when it's around 102 degrees.This was never an issue in Hawaii.How are ya supposed to know what to do?water,soil,fertilizer not the problem.I just misted the areas with anti-fungal and a little neem,as whitefly is bad this year.What is this sealer you mentioned?e-rooting Thai plants is like betting all your cash in Vegas-are you nuts?I think re-planting deeper would only invite rot disaster.This has occurred in both potted plants,plus some in ground.I cant even sleep.I'm not going into retail sales,I just want some show-stoppers in my yard and maybe give some cuttings.I had a mite attack on my 4yr old Emperor Lychees first time this year,also.but thats over with,now,thankfully.At least I found this page and know I'm not alone>Pls.anyone with success,help if you can.The special needs kids come from school every year to see and get cuttings.If nothing else,pls.send your Prayers to Jesus on our behalf!As a fellow Hawaiian,I wish you all success.U'a Mau Ke E'a O Ka Aina I Ka Pono![The Life of the Land is Preserved in Righteousness]Mahalo nui!Lisa Alligood aalligood204@gmail.com

0

Sponsored

More Discussions

My Plumeria tree is it sick?

1

How to save my plumeria?

6