Hi Joeboo

Perhaps you have a borer in your callistemon. This insect could cause a branch to die off.

I can't imagine a Callistemon that has 4 limbs coming out of the ground. All the Callistemons I have grown have one central trunk, not that this has anything to do with your problem !

What species is your Callistemon ?

Make sure the plants have good drainage, and plenty of sun.

Perhaps you could just prune off the dead branch and examine it for holes core to see if there is any insect holes.

Hope this is helpful.

Little John Bottlebrushes are doing horribly in San Antonio, Texas right now.

They are having horrible chlorosis. I think it is because we are having a lot of rain. I think they want to be in California.

Sounds a bit like phytophthora; a fungal root-rot disease that affects many Australian natives when grown in unsuitably damp conditions.

I think we should be careful here, the suggestion that Phytophtora cinnamomi may be the cause is dangerous as the mention of the word "Phytophtora" in areas not infected by this disease can send horticulture managers into a spin!! As far as I know it is beleived that P. cinnamomi was bought into Australia from Indonesia and the microscopic organisims (argument still rages if they actually are fungi)travel through the water table. Large areas of Australia are still Phytophtora free and provided the horticultural industry follow correct Phytophtora protocols it can be kept under control.

Sufficient safeguards are in place to ensure we are not exporting the disease.

More info on Phytophtora can be found here: http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/plant_info/pests_diseases/fact_sheets/phytophthora_root_rot

Tonyw (and if you're still logging in joeboo), you may be right, but as to whether it's a fungal problem; I downloaded the following from a site on the subject: 'Phytophthora cinnamomi is not visible to the naked eye. Under a microscope, its main body, the mycelium, looks like white hair-like threads. Sporangia (spore sacs) are produced on the mycelium in moist and aerobic conditions and at temperatures of 22-28�C. In each sporangium 30-40 zoospores are formed and released. Zoospores are motile by way of two flagella, which enables Pc to infect new and healthy root tips. Zoospores survive up to four days". I'm no expert on the subject but that sounds a lot like a fungus to me. The site, 'Phytophthora cinnamomi causing dieback inplants' suggests it originated in cinnamon plants in Burma. Whether it has infected plants exported to, or seed propagated in, Texas or any other part of the US I've no idea, however if plants were imported from Aus then maybe.... . I certainly don't want to cause any alarm but the symptoms described by joeboo are similar, very similar, to plants I've had diagnosed by those more qualified than I as having been caused by that disease. Might be worth joeboo having it checked out. By the way, I also have almost thriving, a West Aus Banksia, B. coccinea, believed to be almost impossible to grow in the dry winter, moist summer soils on the Aussie east coast (the reverse of its native habitat, south-west coast of W.A.). After my own limited research on the subject, I'm inclined to treat that plant as a test for phytophthora and/or other similar root-rot diseases.

Hi funnelweb, appreciate your reply but Phytophthora is a serious issue in the bush and we have to be careful. On the issue of "is it or is it not" a fungus - and this is a sidetrack to the real issue - Phytophthora is a member of the Kingdom Chromalveolata where as a fungus is a member of the Kingdom Fungi - in the evolutionary process both are thought to have had a common ancestor but took different evolutionary paths. And yes, scientists are still arguing over the above points.

The real issue with Phytophthora is stopping the spread - I live in an area with no recorded Phytophthora infestations and yet often work in Phytophthora infected sites and the last thing I want to do is bring the disease into my area. In applying Phytopthora protocols to ensure I am not responsible for the spread I have to assume that every site I work on is Phytopthora free and thus I apply the correct practices at every site to protect that site. Never assume that Phytopthora is everywhere - it isn't.

Do you know for certain if you have Phytopthora on your property? Has this been confirmed by the authorities? If yes, what steps do you take to ensure you don't spread the disease to areas that are not affected? Phytopthora can be spread by soil particles on your boots, do you think about that when you go for a bushwalk?

The chances of Phytopthora spreading from Australia are remote as most Australian natives are propogated in the USA by seed or cutting, not be Jumbos loaded with 6" potted plants, and even then the soil would have to be treated to be Phytopthora free. I really don't think we need to be putting the fear of Phytopthora into "jeeboo" or any of our other overseas friends who are discovering a passion for our wonderful Australian natives.

Well, I just spent an hour working through how to attach some pictures of my eremophila macmilliana in a later message.
No, I'm no expert Tonw, I'm simply a 'home' gardener with some horticulural knowledge from study many years ago at the Ryde School of Horticulture (in Sydney) keen on developing a native - together with some choice exotics - garden on this previously weed infested acre and a quarter of former farm-land. No, I've no expert advice as to whether phytopthora is prevalent in my garden/area and no, I don't/haven't taken precautions such as doning plastic covers over my boots/shoes when I go into the bush or visit other gardens or nurseries, etc., as I assume most folks don't. I am, however, aware the disease is a serious problem, as is/was 'die-back' disease in Eucalypts or Dutch elm disease in elms; or for that matter cane-toads but to my knowledge, and I may stand corrected here, seems we are not doing too much to prevent or halt their (the cane-toads) spread. I'm unaware as to where we're up to in combating the die-back or elm disease, though I think I heard in recent years both are on the wane.
To go back to joeboo's original message, I simply indicated that the symptoms he/she described maybe caused by a fungal disease (phytophera) and that maybe he should have it properly diagnosed.

My Callistemon is dying too. It was going well at first. There are dead branches and the leaves are going yellow/brown and there are dark brown spots on the leaves. Does anyone know what these are, and/or how to fix it? thanks.