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Eucalyptus disease?

pauldavey36-x7WtAc-pauldavey36-x7WtAc- Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi,
I have a eucalyptus in a pot , leaves have purple spots and are falling off. Just wondered what it is and if there is anything I can do to make it better. Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks
Paul

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I think it might be scale insects. Those little brown spots on the back of the leaves look like them. If you can scrape them off with a thumb nail, and the leaves feel sticky, that will confirm it.
     If so, the top of the leaves should wipe clean with a damp bit of rag, but the scales themselves need  to be dealt with. I get them on my oleanders and use cottonwool and methylated spirits to wipe them away. It works well for a while but it is nearly impossible to track down every single one, so they usually come back eventually.
  • pauldavey36-x7WtAc-pauldavey36-x7WtAc- Posts: 4
    Many thanks for the reply, I’ll give that a go tomorrow. :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Just to add to what @Buttercupdays has said - they aren't very suited to pots, as they want to be huge trees, and coupled with drought [if you had that last year] followed by tricky winter conditions, it could have been very stressed, hence more vulnerable to problems. 
    You may have to rethink how you're growing it. If you can't get it in the ground, it would need a very large container and a lot of attention. Regular cutting back will also help to keep it  neater and better for pot culture :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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