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Have you noticed that your azaleas are looking a bit the worse for wear at the moment? If they have mottled grey/bronze leaves with sticky blobs of excrement on the leaf undersides, they’ve probably been damaged by either Azalea lace bug or Two-spotted mite (red...
Scientists are not sure how they do it, but insects like borers can single out a tree which is stressed and therefore weak, and attack that tree, leaving other healthy individuals around it alone. This is all part of the natural process and in a forest situation it is...
Citrus Leafminer Distorted growth on citrus trees is often caused by Citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella). The adults are tiny, night-flying moths with wingspans of only about 5mm. The females lay their eggs on new young growth in the warmer months of the year....
Mundulla Yellows In south-east South Australia a mysterious disease is posing a major threat to a wide range of native plants. The condition was discovered twenty years ago by beekeeper Geoff Cotton, who noticed conspicuous patches of yellow foliage in mature red gums...
If you live in a bushland area or have a bush garden, be on the lookout for exotic weed seedlings. Things like English ivy (Hedera helix), wild asparagus fern (Protoasparagus aethiopicus), broad-leaved privet (Ligustrum lucidum), small-leaved privet (L. sinense) and...
Stanhopea Orchid There are around 30 species in the genus Stanhopea, and they are spectacular epiphytic orchids native to South America. Their most unusual feature is that the flowers actually grow downward, and they are also highly prized for their very strong,...
Wood Borers Don looked at a gum tree with marks all over the trunk, probably caused by the larvae of wood boring insects like longicorn or jewel beetles. They’re often found feeding in the phloem region just under the bark, and in severe cases they can ringbark...
Spanish Shawl Something that covers the ground and gives you a bit of colour and stops the weeds is welcome in any garden. Spanish shawl (Heterocentron elegans) is a colourful ground cover native to Central America, that will brighten up a sunny spot in the garden....
According to Garden Designer Phillip O’Malley, this modern Gold Coast house is fairly typical of waterfront properties – very large homes built on small blocks. The site was fully landscaped and the existing floral garden was very pretty, but it just did...
Succulents In Australia cacti and succulents are often grown as novelty plants for kids, and although they can be a bit garish and over the top they’ve given many children enormous joy for years. However, there is much more to cacti and succulents than meets the...