Another Victim

I think there was a post on this type of fungal attack a while back, I tried to find it to link it, but could not. It attacks the roots and lower trunk, eventually ringing the lower trunk and killing the tree. It seems that serissa are really susceptible to it. This is the second one that I have lost this summer, a real bummer as it was really shaping up.

Not many symptoms to look for, it was looking really nice, blooming, and putting out new growth; then a couple of days later the leaves are shriveling up. Here it is today, before I throw it in the trash.





Fruiting bodies of the fungus starting to form again at the base again ( had pulled them off once):



The soil was OK, free flowing and not water logged:



The roots are completely dead:





I haven't discovered what to do yet to try to prevent this or get it turned around once infected, just sharing.

That lower trunk looks like buried wire, or at least wire damage. ?

Forsoothe! said:

That lower trunk looks like buried wire, or at least wire damage. ?

Click to expand...

Nope, no buried wire, this type of serissa gets a twisted appearance as it ages.

Bag it, and the soil, and throw it in the garbage to be hauled away. Don't let the spore bodies be exposed to air to spread those spores. Sterilize, or at least rinse with bleach the pot before re-using the pot.

I have no clue which of the catastrophic fungi or bacteria it could be, but isolation and destruction of all potential inoculant is the best prophylaxis to prevent spreading.

Cleaning up leaf litter under and around the benches might help. Also making sure all trees are situated to get good air circulation, up on benches, off the ground. Not too crowded together. All these things I believe you know to do. But I am redundant more for the sake of less experienced who might drop in on this thread.