The iris rust is a different species. It's been in New Zealand since the 1950s (and wasn't found in Australia until the 1960s, so it probably came here on plant material rather than the wind).
I saw a lillipilli hedge with obvious rust in Auckland several years ago, and reported it. I was assured the property owners would be contacted with instructions to…? Whatever exactly they did or didn’t do, still there, still obviously rusty.
I always find your thoughts observations and writing fascinating. We have been in Puglia in the south of the heel of Italy. ALL the olive trees are dead- some 100s years old. This was Italys biggest oil producing area!
This account is not scientific but based on conversations with locals.
The cause is said to be a bacteria carried by a red ant. It came to Italy from a decorative tree imported through Holland. The disease is spreading northwards for up to 100 kms.
They are trialling planting what is hoped to be disease resistant species.
It’s awful to see. What was a whole landscape of green olive groves is now field after field of grey dead trees.
The point I want to make is that the areas with no disease don’t seem to be acting seriously now to try and prevent spread.
It reminds me of visiting my parents around 2000 in Manapouri. My Dad pointed out pristine Fiordland rivers that were brown and gluey with didymo. Returning to Taupo I felt frustrated that the strictest measures were slow to be put in place. If your river is ok in Taupo, and you haven’t seen the mess in Fiordland, there is no impetus to act.
I know that is human nature, and how funding protocols work. Hope for the best and leave problem solving to the last minute.
Thank goodness we had people like you taking it seriously Melanie.
Is this rust the same as the rust that affects iris plants?
The iris rust is a different species. It's been in New Zealand since the 1950s (and wasn't found in Australia until the 1960s, so it probably came here on plant material rather than the wind).
I saw a lillipilli hedge with obvious rust in Auckland several years ago, and reported it. I was assured the property owners would be contacted with instructions to…? Whatever exactly they did or didn’t do, still there, still obviously rusty.
I always find your thoughts observations and writing fascinating. We have been in Puglia in the south of the heel of Italy. ALL the olive trees are dead- some 100s years old. This was Italys biggest oil producing area!
This account is not scientific but based on conversations with locals.
The cause is said to be a bacteria carried by a red ant. It came to Italy from a decorative tree imported through Holland. The disease is spreading northwards for up to 100 kms.
They are trialling planting what is hoped to be disease resistant species.
It’s awful to see. What was a whole landscape of green olive groves is now field after field of grey dead trees.
The point I want to make is that the areas with no disease don’t seem to be acting seriously now to try and prevent spread.
It reminds me of visiting my parents around 2000 in Manapouri. My Dad pointed out pristine Fiordland rivers that were brown and gluey with didymo. Returning to Taupo I felt frustrated that the strictest measures were slow to be put in place. If your river is ok in Taupo, and you haven’t seen the mess in Fiordland, there is no impetus to act.
I know that is human nature, and how funding protocols work. Hope for the best and leave problem solving to the last minute.
Thank goodness we had people like you taking it seriously Melanie.