skip to main content

Australian Native Plants

Lilly pilly looks like it's dying.....

12 years ago

We have a lilly pilly hedge, nearly every second tree looks like its dying, where as the others look healthy. The trees are about 3 meters tall, I think they are about 7 years old. The leaves that are left are kind of grey green, not bright green like the other plants, it looks like it is trying to sprout new leaves.There is also a kind of coocon thing on the branches which looks like its made of tiny brown balls. Can anyone tell me what this might be and how to fix it?? I can post pictures if this helps.

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

alisonoz_gw
12 years ago
Would help if you could post a pic. Apart from psyllids, LP's are usually pretty hardy, I'm thinking some sort of borer or caterpillar. when you say "cocoon thing" is it a definite shape like a moth makes for a larva or more like dense webbing - in the latter case the tiny brown balls might just be insect poo.
See what you can do with a pic - post in the gallery from your hard-drive (keep under 61kb) or you can post inside text if you have pics posted somewhere and can provide a Http address
Related Discussions
Lilly pilly cherry surprise
Q
Comments (1)
Lilly pilly can be prone to scale infestations - this looks something like a type of cottony scale. A more detailed close up of the insect could confirm. If manageably sized, I would recommend washing these critters off your plant as thoroughly as possible. You could then treat with a horticultural oil or Neem oil to prevent further problems.
...See More
Lilly Pilly Elite
Q
Comments (6)
Hi Amelie, I have seen some magnificent Elites, well over 3 metres tall and extremely bushy (right to ground level), and I've seen some pretty sorry examples. Mine are currently doing well, but they are still young (new garden). I guess we all know the drill by now : tip-prune regularly, and give the entire plant a tidy-up (no more than a third off) in Spring - thats about as complicated as it gets. Psyllids havent been a major issue with my own lillipillies, and I havent found them hard to control with Folimat. Given the huge number of potential pests that plants like Gardenias can attract, I think the psyllid is a small price to pay for a species which gives us so much. Good luck, Artie
...See More
Lilly Pilly Fluff on Leaves
Q
Comments (5)
Possibly scale, check the branches and see if there's a little, hard, bug infestation that's hard to remove, though you can flick them off with your finger nail sometimes. If there is, there's also likely to be ants travelling up and down the tree, they 'milk' the scales for their secretions. 'White' oil is the treatment - it chokes the bug and prevents it from sucking. You should also apply a ring of petroleum jelly around the base of the bush to stop the ants. I sometimes use a commercial insecticide but a lot of gardeners believe that's a no, no, now-a-days on account of possible damage to friendly insects.
...See More
Underplanting Waterhousea (weeping Lilly Pilly)
Q
Comments (10)
Is that W. floribunda? If so, it grows to around 30 metres tall. (I know you said you'd prune it as a hedge, but then you'll lose any weeping characteristics.) And if you plant Clivea behind that Box hedge, it'll be lower than the hedge and never seen. I reckon it's already over-crowded as it is (or will be once those Waterhousea get going), and no way there'll be room for Hydrangeas between those trees. They'll be touching each other in no time. If you're planning on selling the house in a year or 2, go for it. If you want to stay there longer, I'd suggest restraint...
...See More

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Create a Cottage-Style Garden

By Claudia De Yong Garden Design

If you like an abundance of plants — and visits from birds, bees and butterflies — this may be the style of yard for you

FURNITURE Guest Picks: Faux Bamboo Furniture

By Caitlin Creer Interior Design

20 Ways to Use a Little or a Lot of This Popular Look Around the Home

GARDENING GUIDES Garden-Friendly Native Alternatives to Overplanted Exotics

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

There are lots of gorgeous, wildlife-friendly native plants ready to make an appearance in your garden

FLOWERS Great Design Plant: Lilies

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Try these delightfully exotic stunners for paintbox colors, deep fragrance and intricately detailed petals

PETS What Chihuahuas Can Teach Us About Interior Design

By Mitchell Parker

Who knew these tiny dogs could be such a huge fount of design tips? Houzzers did

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Retreat to the Shade of Hardy Catalpa

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Big foliage and a towering height provide a shady respite in summer, but that's not all hardy catalpa offers dedicated gardeners

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Tips to Start a Garden — Can-Do Ideas for Beginners

By Alison Hodgson

Green up your landscape even if you're short on time, money and knowledge, with these manageable steps for first-time gardeners

PETS 50 Dog Photos Worth a Wag

By Sheila Schmitz

Design hounds: Share in the pet love with Houzzers' snapshots of their beloved dogs at home, in the workshop and at play

GARDENING GUIDES Grow Your Own Privacy: How to Screen With Plants and Trees

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Use living walls to lower your home and garden's exposure while boosting natural beauty in your landscape

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING How to Make a Pond

By Mitchell Parker

You can make an outdoor fish paradise of your own, for less than you might think. But you'll need this expert design wisdom

Sponsored

More Discussions

Plant identification

0