Causes of Problems with Gum Trees

Does your gum tree look ill? Eucalyptus are vulnerable to a number of pests. They can make your trees look sickly. However, the problem is worse than a bad-looking tree. Unhealthy gum trees can cause major problems for you. That is why it is important to identify why your eucalyptus does not look right and fix the problem.

Why Is My Gum Tree Unhealthy?

There are several reasons that gum trees may be struggling to thrive. Figuring out the problem can be the key to good health.

• Does your gum tree get enough water?
• Has it been exposed to low temperatures?
• Does it have enough nutrients in the soil?
• Does it get enough sunlight?
• Has it suffered a physical trauma?
• Has the nearby soil been compacted recently, or otherwise altered in a way that might impact the tree’s roots?

If you have ruled out all of the above causes, then your gum tree is probably suffering from disease or pests.

What is Gum Tree Disease?

Gum tree disease is usually bacterial or fungal. They include myrtle rust, teratosphaeria disease, cankers, phytophthora, heart or trunk rot, and bacterial root rot. Most of these diseases first show up in the leaves or by discoloring the leaves or bark. You may also see a powdery mildew on the trees.

Pests are different. Most of them damage gum trees by burrowing into them, though some may eat the leaves, as well. Pests do not usually cause tree loss and are not going to present as powder mildews on the surface. Instead, you may notice that your tree just does not seem to be thriving. You may also notice evidence of pests or see the pests, themselves, on the tree.

What Type Of Pests Attack Gum Trees?

Some pests that attack gum trees include

• Roundhead borers
• Foliage-feeding caterpillars
• Eucalyptus tortoise beetles
• Psyllids
• Giant white flies
• Eucalyptus gall wasps
• Glassy-winged sharpshooters
• Snout Beetles

The first step to restoring your tree to health is getting rid of the pests. However, not all treatments are equally effective at getting rid of all gum tree pests. To find out what type of pests are attacking your gum tree, give Flick a call. One of our pest control technicians can come out and examine your tree, identifying whether it has a pest problem, and which pests are bothering it. Then, we can craft a personalized treatment plan designed to get rid of the pests.

We cannot promise to always save your gum trees. If the pests have been undetected for too long, the tree may already be too compromised to save. However, we can get rid of your pests and help prevent spread of the problem to other trees in your landscape.