Over the last couple of years I have noticed many arbutus trees on the Sunshine Coast with dead leaves or branches. I wonder whether there is a particular disease affecting these trees (Sudden Oak disease??). We have a large arbutus growing on rocks near the ocean. It has a large black canker near the base of its trunk, with a scattering of white powdery substance I assume to be a fungus. For the last two years, leaves have been yellowing and dying. Now several of its branches are dead. There are other arbutus in the general area that have some dead leaves or clumps of dead leaves. Can anything be done for any of these trees? Should diseased trees be removed to prevent the problem spreading? Thanks for any information or advice you can provide, Abby
Having discovered how to navigate the site after posting rather than before, I have learned a fair bit. In addition to any other problems it may have, including shade much of the day, our large sick tree is probably being choked by poplars. Might cutting down the poplars and other growth surrounding it help the arbutus?
I am no expert when it comes to arbutus (cycads being my specialty) but I also live on the Sunshine Coast and have watched them for 10 years on my property. Although they are evergreen they do shed their old leaves just before a flush of new leaves, and some branches do die back; it is just the natural cycle in the life of an arbutus. They are amazingly resilient trees, and so very graceful.
My Arbutus have black leaves ,not the usual shedding of leaves as per usual. seems at least 40% of the Arbutus here in central Vancouver Island are suffering from the same disease .Will they recover ? Should we prune them back or just wait and see what happens?
Thank you ,they are on their own ,no shade round them but wondering if the droughts of the last couple of summers have affected them ,we are in Bowser and sometimes get 8-10 weeks in the summer without any rain .Air pollution ? I don't think so ...guess we'll water this summer if necessary and see what happens.