What can be wrong with my Syzygium australe 'Resilience' - Lilly Pilly?

[lovch]

 

 

 

Hi everyone, can somebody help me to understand what can be wrong with my

Syzygium australe 'Resilience' - Lilly Pilly?

We bought 3x Syzygium australe 'Resilience' - Lilly Pilly back in June 22 and planted all of them in the same location in our backyard. Now one of them is in a really bad condition where other two are completely fine. Attached a couple of photos. We can’t see any insects but made a pic of the leaf as well just in case. Can anybody advise what can be an issue? We treated all 3 same way including watering and feeding. Other two are in a really good condition, just this one which is in 1m apart from the other, is struggling. It’s only like this at the bottom . The top of the tree looks ok. Thank you in advance.

Luba

[BradN]

Hi @lovch , and welcome to the Workshop community. I don't know what's wrong with your plant, but I wonder whether there has been some sort of damage to the roots, possibly even by beetle larvae underground.

Is the area waterlogged or extremely dry? Has it been very cold lately? Is the lower part of the tree in shade for most of the day? Is the tree planted in a small hole in hard, compacted soil? Was the tree very rootbound when it came out of the pot (it looks like it has long since outgrown that stake and it wouldn't have grown much since you put it in the ground)?

It might also have been a bit shocked at being transplanted in winter and might just come good in spring.

Let me tag a couple of more experienced members, @Adam_W and @Noelle , to see if they can shed any light on the problem.

Cheers, 

Brad

[EricL]

Hello @lovch

Allow me to welcome you as well to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about the health of your Lilly Pilly.

It's fantastic that you've received excellent advice from @BradN. If you can please answer some of his queries, it would definitely help with the diagnosis of your tree. Just to add to the diagnostic steps requested, would it be possible for you to take the following steps?

Extra steps requested:

• Can you please take a photo of one of the dry leaves (back/front) and a picture of the main branch itself? You're looking for discolouration, borer holes and parts of the main branch that have dried up and shrivelled extensively.  
   
• Can you please clear the bottom of the tree of leaves and debris, can you dig a hole close to the tree until you see its roots? You're looking for larvae infestation, discoloured black roots, bad fungal smell and water-logged soil.  

How often have you been watering this wintertime? When do you estimate did the damage begin? Has there been any rainfall in your area recently? Has your neighbour recently sprayed any termite control chemicals or used bleach in their area? 

Any other information you can share will definitely help with the diagnosis of your tree. 

Eric

[lovch]

Hi Eric and Brad,

thank you a lot for coming back.

we digged the hole in the ground as suggested, no signs of larvae.

attached more photos of leaves and main branch.

the soil is wet though we don’t water often, may be once a week only. But also attached a photo with issue tree but also just next to it same size tree which is absolutely fine, planted and watered same.

damage began about a month ago after about two weeks after planting.

we are in Syd and it’s very wet all the time with heavy rains over winter. Soil smells as water-logged soil but no fungal smell. Some roots slightly damaged (attached the pic) but just a couple of, otherwise brown.

Lower part of the tree is in shade all the day.

hole upon planting was the widest across all trees and enough to put as it is from the pot.

during month and a half the tree didn’t grow at all I think. May be a couple of cm at the top.it was also very rootbound

 

 

 

     

 

 

when went from the pot.

not across  any termite control chemicals but also other tree next to it is fine.

it was cold recently in Sydney.

Thank you a lot for all the advises.

Luba

[BradN]

Hi Luba @lovch . Is that water always there? And where does it come from? Is it just rain, or could there be a leaking pipe somewhere?

If the soil stays waterlogged like that permanently it will kill the tree. The roots will just drown and rot. I suspect that those leaves and branches are dying because the roots that supplied them with water and nutrients have died and rotted.

When you dug the holes to put the trees in, was the soil very hard and compacted? If that soil doesn't drain well, rainwater will just be collecting in the hole you planted the tree in. It's best not to water the tree while it's wet like that. I wouldn't water the one next to it, either. That will only add to the problem.

You will need to improve the drainage somehow. Perhaps @EricL can offer you some advice. That brick wall might make things a bit tricky. If all else fails you can grow lillypillies or something else in large planter pots on top of that wall instead.

Can you think of any way to improve the drainage there? Could you post a wider photo of the whole area so we can see that brick wall and any other structures around the area? 

I know how frustrating this kind of thing can be!

Brad

[EricL]

Hello @lovch

Thank you for providing all that extra information about your plant. The good news is that I don't see any type of insect infestation or fungal infection. But I agree with @BradN, it looks like the area is waterlogged and is causing your plant to suffocate as the surrounding water literally uses up all the oxygen available in the soil. I recommend transferring your Lilly Pilly to another location that is not waterlogged. However, due to the damage that has already occurred to the plant, I can't guarantee that it will still recover. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Noelle and @Adam_W for their recommendations.   

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric