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Arizona Gardening

Tecoma Stans (Orange Jubilee) problem - not leaf rollers. Any help?

7 years ago

I have three healthy orange jubilees (tecoma stans) and one of them has a new problem - the leaves on several branches are becoming limp/wilting and dying. It's not the pesky leaf roller (which I continue to get despite consistent BT spraying).

I've noticed some thick, pasty white stuff in the area of the nearby tree drip line. It's about 18" from the bottom of the jubilee. What does it look like to you?

See below pics:

Leaves becoming limp.

The whole branch is impacted - limp, wilting leaves.

A just-pruned branch - the whole thing is wilting.

A pic of the pasty white stuff.

It's thick, gooey, like toothpaste. What IS this stuff? It's collecting at two drip sites for my orchid tree (which is also having some trouble now on the side where this is appearing. Could this white stuff be affecting my tree as well?)

Yes, the pesky leaf rollers are still around. Pruning and BT helps a bit.

Featured Answer

iandyaz

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

BT definitely won't cause this. If it is root rot, which I think it is, it might be a good idea to re-"leave" the plant from a few of it's leaves.

I've heard of some chemical treatments that are targeted towards phytophthora mold (which is usually what causes root rot) but I've never tried them myself. The best way us home gardeners deal with it is to let the soil dry out a little. The roots that are already rotted are now useless so the plant might have too many leaves to keep itself alive at the moment. I'd prune it back a good amount and only water it again once the top 3ish inches of soil is dry. Obviously there are some roots still alive or the plant would be completely dead by now.

If it's a plant you really don't want to lose and don't mind doing a lot of work on it, I'd recommend pruning it back enough that digging it up isn't a huge pain. Then dig it up, and cut off any roots with rot on them at the point they are rotting. then cut off a few more branches (depends on how many roots are left) then pot it up while it recovers. I'd also amend that soil area where it sits while it recovers so there's more drainage.

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Comments (9)

iandyaz
7 years ago
The white stuff might be a slime mold called Dog Vomit Fungus (aka Fuligo septica). If it is, it's probably not hurting the tree (unless there's a lot of it). It usually indicates a lot of moisture so it might be getting enough moisture to cause root rot which could explain the drooping leaves.

Usually around this time of the year it's a good idea to cut back on watering relative to how much we had to water a few weeks ago.
dreamindecor
Original Author
7 years ago
Update - I went out this morning and the whole Jubilee is in decline. I've never had a problem with this bush (other than leaf rollers) and I'd hate to lose it. Come to think of it, I DID spray it two days ago with BT but that's never harmed it in the past. I also sprayed a nearby jubilee and it is doing fine. I've had them 6 years and live in Northeast Phoenix.

I also turned off the water and the white gooey stuff has dried up (thanks to Iandyaz who taught me that Dog Vomit Fungus is a real thing).

Here's a pic - all branches/leaves are wilting.

Jubilee on the right is fine.

Icky white mold is drying up.

Any ideas?
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lazy_gardens
7 years ago
What sort of watering schedule did you have it on? And was there a leak near that plant?
dreamindecor
Original Author
7 years ago
For the summer months, it gets watered by drip every 3 days for 90 minutes at 4:30 a.m., noon, and 7 p.m. We've had a pretty hot summer here. It seemed to be doing fine up until about a week ago when I noticed one of the branches starting to wilt. Don't see a leak in the vicinity.

Of course, this morning - before I got these "it's getting too much water" posts - I already watered it again and put Miracle-Grow on it. So it got a double dose of water. :-( So maybe I've completely soaked the roots beyond repair.

Frankly, if I have to dig it up, I'll just get another one, but am not sure what to amend the soil with so it doesn't happen again.
bossyvossy
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I had a gorgeous one and it seemed to thrive, decline, rise from the ashes and thrive. Repeat. I tired of the diva behavior. It's resentful of excessive moisture. If you cut it to the ground it will reappear but it will be an ugly spot for a while. Its cousin the yellow tecoma is not nearly as temperamental though more common.

90 min every 3 days seems excessive.
iandyaz
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I usually use a mix of perlite, sand, and compost to increase drainage. I mix that with native soil depending on how fast I want the soil to drain. I dig about twice the depth of the rootball, and about 2-3x the width. Then backfill the hole with the mix and native soil before putting the plant in. I also use mulch around the dripline (and future dripline) and hope that will help the soil in the places I hadn't dug out to yet. IME most the soil problems from over watering happen pretty close to the surface.
dreamindecor thanked iandyaz
lazy_gardens
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
"it gets watered by drip every 3 days for 90 minutes at 4:30 a.m., noon, and 7 p.m" ... total 4 1/2 hours every three days.

If you are in one of the areas with clay soil, that may be too much. Take a moisture meter out there and test the soil, make adjustments appropriately.

We had one in NE phoenix and after it was established I stopped watering it.

Amending the planting hole just makes the problem worse, creating a "flower pot" the roots don't leave.

ALSO: It is probably getting water under the fence from the neighbor's citrus.
dreamindecor
Original Author
7 years ago
Update - Since this whole plant is in decline AND the Orchid tree next to it is in full decline AND the Pepper tree nearby has been having branch die-back AND a Pygmy Palm nearby has lost 3 out of 4 trunks, I began to think of something in my soil. My yard guy suggested verticillium wilt - https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1034.pdf

And I think we have a winner! Or, rather, a LOSER in my case - as there is no cure for infected plants, and nothing you can do to neutralize the soil. You just have to find resistant or immune plants.

Today's pic of the jubiliee.

Declining Orchid tree next to Jubilee.

Broader view with Orchid on left, next to failing Jubilee, then a healthy pygmy palm, a healthy Jubilee, then the struggling Pepper tree. (we already cut out a bunch of other dead branches)

Nearby Pygmy palm that has lost 3 out of 4 trunks.

Anyway, that's what I now thinking I'm dealing with.

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