Myrtle Rust Uredo rangelii is a disease newly introduced to Australia with the potential to effect plants in the Myrtaceae family - ie many native plants.
Symtoms include bright yellow spores on leaf and brownish-red leaf spotting. In highly susceptible plants the disease causes die-back and disfigurement.
Don't panic! We are learning in the nursery industry that while some plants are highly susceptible many others have shown a natural resistance to the disease, ie exhibiting only a little or no leaf spotting to date.
Like similar rust and fungal diseases effecting exotic plants such as roses, frangipanis, day lillies etc, Myrtle Rust tends to be cyclical, occurring over the warmer, moister months of the year. Effective treatments are available for the home gardener where all good gardening products are sold.
It is the policy of Bangalow Wholesale Nursery not to grow plants highly susceptible to Myrtle Rust. As a further precaution Bangalow Wholesale Nursery has implemented the Nursery and Garden Industry Associations' Myrtle Rust Management Plan. All Myrtaceae stock is treated by preventative and curative fungicide as described in 1A 18.1
For more info click on the link TOP RIGHT to go to the DPI Fact Sheet.
For Bangalow Nurserys' latest Availability List visit our website at www.bangalownursery.com
(Myrtle Rust image source DPI)
