Fungus on azalea trunk

[Rivian]

?Hino Crimson? azalea with wavy leaves, thinking the fungus visible on the trunk is causing general sickness
ID of the culprit? Other azaleas are fine

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Looks pretty healthy from your photos.

Try this:1 tsp of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in 3/4 of a liter of water spray bottle. Spray leaves both sides, trunk and soil. Repeat in a week, then in two, then of all is well 1x months

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[0soyoung]

Possibly whiteflies - a flick the branches will momentarily unleash a small cloud of them flying. If so, NEEM or whatever kind of hort oil you prefer.

 

[penumbra]

I am not seeing a problem. I do see a tiny bit of what looks like a lichen on the lower trunk. Plant looks healthy.

 

[Moridin]

Looks ok to me as well

 

[hemmy]

When I see liverwort (bottom of your image) in my pots it seems like an indication of overwatering. But I also realize that you may want to keep azaleas wetter depending on your water quality to prevent mineral precipitation.

 

[shinmai]

Do you use a systemic insecticide? The reason I ask is that I lost a very nice hinomaru to what turned out to be an infestation of root mealy bugs. When I received the tree it had an abnormal leaf curl, which at first I thought was due to temperature shock in shipping.
If the leaf curl gets worse, you might want to cut the wires and lift it out to inspect the root mass. If you see little white masses, you might want to immerse the root mass in a weak per solution.

 

[penumbra]

If you see little white masses, you might want to immerse the root mass in a weak per solution.

Bonide systemic granules work well for this. Cheap and easy from Amazon.

 

[shinmai]

That should have read “peroxide solution”. I do use Bonide on a prophylactic basis, but it takes time to wash into the roots. I was thinking of peroxide as a way to immediately douse an infestation. I also just recently started using Cleary’s systemic fungicide, mostly for the benefit of my crabapple and my Japanese flowering apricot [which in this part of the country is notorious for picking up pretty much every fungus or blight known to man]. I figured it can’t hurt the other trees, so it’s also now part of my treatment regimen.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

One finds themselves glissading down a slippery slope when applying commercial fungicides on azaleas… especially when one is not sure there is actually an issue.

If one is sure harmful fungus is present and actually causing an issue, tread softly with the chemicals.

Azaleas rely on an active, robust rhizosphere. Killing off all the soil critters as a ‘prevention’ may end up halting the azaleas growth or killing off the azalea itself.

Diluted 3% hydrogen peroxide solution as described above is both a good occasional preventive and front line treatment.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[shinmai]

I am reasonably certain that this is the first and only time that the word ‘glissading’ has appeared on his forum.

 

[Forestcat]

Could be mealy bugs or scale. I treat for those with insecticidal soap, as well as mechanical removal of the scale.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I am reasonably certain that this is the first and only time that the word ‘glissading’ has appeared on his forum.

That’s what happens when a Deep Sea Diver soars down the Cascades snowpack!
Cheers
DSD sends