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Pali Plumies - Common Plumeria Problems

- Plumeria Fungal Diseases and their treatments -

Overview
Plumeria's generally are not affected by most fungal diseases in our dry climate especially during the warm season. However during the cooler winter months these common diseases can pop up especially if the soil remains damp or your plants are overwatered. Young rooted cuttings are also suspecitable to these fungal diseases. Here are some pictures to help you identify problems with your plumerias. We also offer suggestions on how to prevent and treat fungal diseases.

Rust on  undersides of Plumeria leaves Rust Diseases or Rust Fungus (Coleosporium domingense) occurs on a wide variety of plants, including Plumeria.  In general, however and given rust is rather specific in its host range.  Many rust have several kinds of microscopic spores.

With such forms, the fungus may infect two entirely different plants living part of the year on one host and the remainder of the year on the other. (which in the case with plumerias)

This now familiar fungal disease, plumeria rust, is known by its conspicuous, powdery, yellow-orange lesions on leaves. It presense can always be determined be the appearance of yellow, orange or reddish-brown powdery pustules on the leaves, stems, or buds of the infected plant.  The spores produced in these pustules are carried by splashing rain or air currents to near-by healthy plants where new infections will occur.

Rust Fungus does not kill Plumerias, but can rapidly de-foliate an entire tree.

Most plumeria cultivars grown are susceptible to the pathogen and have numerous powdery spore masses on the underside of leaves. Leaves can turn brown and fall from the plant as early as two months after the springtime flush of new leaves is infected by the fungus.

How to Control Plumeria / Frangipani Rust Fungus
Rust fungus will over-winter on infected plants.

1.  Keep the growing area clean and free of fallen leaves.

2.  Carefully remove and place infected leaves into trash bags.

3.  Mild outbreaks can be controlled by fungicides such as GreenLight "Fung-Away" spray.


Black Tip Fungus Black Tip Fungus is very hard to control once it gets a big head start.  Black Tip usually strikes in the spring and in the fall, but can pop up at any time of the year.  Black Tip Fungus loves cool, wet, and shady areas.  When the conditions are right is can pop up vitually overnight, and spread like wildfire.

If left uncontrolled it will kill the growth tips of mature trees, and kill entirely a small plumeria.   If Black Tip has killed the growth tips on a mature plumeria and temperatures warm up, the black tip will die off.  Then the blacked tips will callus and break off.  Next, the plumeria will branch back out as if it was pruned.  Sometime on a tree it's not all bad, because it gets a ton of new branches, but if it happens every year, or disgustingly, twice a year you will have hell getting you plumerias to bloom. 
 

Best advice is...
try to prevent any black tip outbreaks....
if one occurs spray and fight it every step of the way...
if you lose the battle, then you get a ton new branches,
because if you fight Black tip with Fungicides it won't die.

How to Prevent Black Tip Fungus
Black Tip fungus will over winter on infected plants.

1.  Every 2 or 3 weeks apply a fungicide such as "GreenLight "Fung-Away II" granules
     to the plumerias soil.  (about a hand full per pot)

2.  Grow plumerias in as much sun as possible in the cooler months. In the Summer late
      afternoon shade is needed!!

3.  Do NOT spray the plant with water at night when temp are
      below 60 degrees F.  (you can water, just not the leaves etc.)

4.  Spray Plumerias and *entire area of greenhouses every 2 weeks as a preventative treatment
     with "Fung-Away", even if there are no signs of Black Tip.

    *entire area ::  walls, pots, benches, soil, grass, floor... everything.
 


How to Control Black Tip Fungus
Black Tip fungus will over winter on infected plants.

1.  Reduce humidity and try to keep the area as dry as possible.

2.  Relocate the plumeria ... this seems to help a lot.

3.  in the greenhouse are use lots of fans.... this will make all
    the difference in the world... more fans the better.

4.  Apply Greenlight "Fung-Away II" granules to the soil.
     (about a hand full per pot)

5.  Use Fung-away spray on the plumeria and the *entire area.
     (Spray the *entire area once per week)
    *entire area ::  walls, pots, benches, soil, grass, floor... everything.

6. Spot spray the infected plumeria with Fung-Away every other day or more.
    (continue until you get control then back off the spray)

   (Fung-Away spray does not seen to harm plumerias, even in large doses.)

7.  Try other Fungicides

8.  Keep up the good fight until warmer Temperatures arrive, which will kill the black tip fungus.
 
 

 

 

Stem Rot on PlumeriaStem Rot ( Black leg or Black Rot ) is a disease that causes the decaying of the inner layers of the Plumeria. The plumeria stem becomes soft and squishy as the inside rots away.  Stem rot moves very quickly and is almost always fatal to cuttings. Stem Rot usually occurs while trying to root cuttings or during winter storage.

Cool temperatures and wet soil are the favorite playground for Stem Rot.  Rooting and newly rooted plumerias during their first overwintering are at highest risk for developing stem rot.

Once a Plumeria has survived it's first winter, Stem Rot is usually not a problem.


Plumeria Cuttings:  Infected cuttings typically fail to root. Instead they develop rot that gradually moves up the stem. Leaf wilt and leaf spotting may be evident. The rotted stem eventually becomes shriveled, turns dull dark brown to black in color, and falls over in its pot.

Mature Plumerias:  Although rare,  mature plants can lose a branch or two from stem rot and/or freeze damage.  Freeze damage looks almost the same as Stem Rot.  In either case, with mature plumeria just cut off the affected areas and a mature plumeria will bounce right back with new branches and leaves.

*** Because Stem Rot is virtually untreatable,
We offer tips to help prevent it.

How to Avoid Stem Rot on Plumerias

Note: There is no effective treatment for stem rot once it becomes established.

1.  Be Sanitary. Keep the growing area clean and free of fallen leaves.
(Keep the Greenhouse area as clean as possible)

2.  Dust cuttings with fungicide before potting in media.

3.  Always use "rooting hormone With Fungicide" in it.

4.  Root Cuttings in individual sterilized pots.
    (if a plant has rotted or died in a pot do not use it for rooting)

5.  Do Not use Livestock manure in the rooting soil

6.  Use a fast draining media like Perlite for rooting cuttings.
     for proper Rooting information click here...

7.  Do Not overwater rooting cuttings... when it doubt, wait a week.

8.  Repeat .. Do Not overwater rooting cuttings.

9.  During the growing season and winter storage check your plants
     by squeezing the base of the Plumeria just above the soil line. 
     It should be Firm.

10.  During winter storage keep you plants as warm as possible,
      Store them in a sun room or warm laundry room etc. for the first winter.
      (...at least above 40 degrees F.)

11. Try to keep the Plumeria growing with grow lights during it's first winter.

12. At first sign of Stem Rot treat it with liquid Fungicide and try to keep the soil dry.

13. If all else fails...take a cutting from the plant at any location you can get clean healthy wood, and
      try to root it.

NOTE:   If you are having reoccurring problems with Stem Rot,
I would stress to you, use rooting hormone with fungicide Switch your
rooting media to 2/3rds Perlite and DO NOT overwater.
 

FMV on Plumeria Blooms(FMV) Virus-causing color break in Plumerias

Based upon visual observation of infected plumeria plants from various places for a number of years, it seems that Frangipani Mosaic Virus (FMV) has a minimal effect on the growth and the health of most plumerias with the exception of severe cases in a few cultivars. Its symptoms may include, e.g., leaf malformation, mottled leaf, and/or splash or color break (CB), especially on the petals. Some plumeria trees appear normal with only an occasional CB on the petals, which is attractive to some people

From my point of view, however, the color break is unacceptable since it distorts the original colors of flowers. In addition, unlike other diseases, it is incurable, and the virus that resides in the infected plant may accidently spread to other plumeria trees somehow, and finally, the whole collection may all be infected.

According to ICTVdb, the FMV transmitted by mechanical inoculation not involving a vector.

Suggested reading related to Frangipani Mosaic Virus: click... ICTVdb and DPVWeb

How to Avoid FMV Virus in Plumerias

Note: There is no effective treatment for FMV transmitted by mechanical inoculation not involving a vector.

Viral-contaminated cutting tools used in grafting and pruning are likely the most common means of FMV transmission. Unfortunately, it is how this particular virus spreads rapidly and covertly in plumerias, especially in Thailand

Nowadays, symptoms are commonly seen in plumerias which are sold in the markets everywhere. Some virused plumerias may look normal, but the symptoms generally appear in a later stage. Thus it is important to address this issue to increase growers' awareness, to keep the virus under control, and to save all great plumeria cultivars from being infected.


Follow these Practices to prevent the spread of FMV

1. In an attempt to keep the whole plumeria collection virus-free, newly acquired plumerias should
    be isolated over a period of time to observe or check (test) for the presence of virus.

2.  All FMV-infected plants should be separated from the rest of collection and/or destroyed.

3.  Using a sterilized cutting tool is also the key to preventing the spread of the FMV, which may be     present in the plumeria trees growing in the garden, to the rest of the collection.

4.  My routine practice of pruning plumerias in the garden is to carry as many sterilized knives as
     possible with me and use only one knife per plumeria plant. They are then sterilized in boiling
     water for further use.

5. Plumerias with the virus should not be allowed to be registered as a new cultivar based upon its
    appearance of the flowers with the color break. It is just a diseased plant, not an innovative one

Summary
We hope you have found this information useful in helping you prevent and treat fungal diseases on your plants. We suggest you all maintain safe pruning practices we have suggested to help prevent or limit the spread of (FMV),Frangipani Mosaic Virus. We wish you happy growing of these beautiful trees.


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All Photography By: Jeanette Summers - © 2011 - 2013
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