Q: Could you help me determine the name of the plant that just appeared in my garden one day in late summer? It had interesting foliage so I let it grow. It may be an invasive weed but… Read More
Q: Last year I had the ends rot out of watermelon and cantaloupe. They bloom but no fruit developed. This year, I planted zucchini instead and I am getting the same problem. The fruit is rotting out from… Read More
A: The disease is probably melanose, which is a common coastal fungal disease that primarily occurs in grapefruit but can attack any citrus. The first symptoms on leaves are small, circular, dark depressions with a yellow margin, similar… Read More
A: I am glad you brought a clipping of the tree to me. After examining it closely, I could see the culprit was a citrus mite. The citrus red mite or purple mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), was first… Read More
A: The leaf problem is caused by a small leafmining moth, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, or the citrus leafminer (CLM). Citrus leafminer (CLM) was found in late May 1993 in several citrus nurseries in south Florida. Since that… Read More
A: There could be several creatures eating the leaves of your citrus trees. It is possible a katydid or a grasshopper are snacking on the leaves. The katydid, although very large in size, looks so much like a… Read More
A: Actually the orange spots you see are neither an insect nor a disease. The spots are beneficial fungi which attack the young stationary stage (pupae) of a common citrus pest called the white fly. The white fly… Read More
A: I have had this question 4-5 times within the last few weeks. First, we do several confirmed cases of Huanglongbing (HLB) here in Nassau County Florida. The correct name for “citrus greening” is Huanglongbing (HLB). Secondly, there… Read More
A: This pest is called citrus snow scale and believe it or not – it is an insect. Citrus snow scale attaches to the trunk and sometimes when populations are extremely high, it can be found on leaves… Read More
More than likely, this is a disease called Fusiform rust, caused by the fungus Cronartium quercuum. This fungus is native to the southern United States so the disease if very common in our area. Many rusts require an alternative… Read More
