Eucalyptus Ficifolia (now Corymbia Ficifolia) buds drop, won't flower.

rainbow_beanie

I have a Eucalyptus Ficifolia (now Corymbia Ficifolia), which is 21 years old and up until now has never flowered. A couple of times there have been one or two fronds of buds but in the early stages they have all dropped off from what appears to be a larvae having eaten them from the inside out. This year for the first time it was covered in buds but over 2/3rds have similarly dropped off. The ones that have grown bigger nearly all have a hole in them where I assume the larvae have eaten its way out. The only thing I have noticed on the tree during budding time is a whole mass on fly like insects but more elongated and more translucent than house flies. I have searched the internet and asked nursery people and no one has heard of this problem. Can anyone please shed any light on it?

Thank you, Dianne

derwoodii

Interesting one?? Have or can you post some pictures of this tree it may help at this stage I have no idea the cause as seems do others but will give it some thought. Is your climate area hot humid ??

Jeff Darby

Pictures of the tree, pictures of your insects, pictures of the base of the trunk and ground take heaps of pictures with a quality camera for us to have a better look at and when posting make picture size around 800x800 no thumb shots...lol.

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rainbow_beanie

Sorry I stuffed up.

Hopefully this is right now. I have photos which show:

the damage done to the flower bud, he opening at the top of the bud where I assume the larvae ate its way out, a flower bud which shows the sticky substance in flower bud left by the larvae. Some show fronds where the buds have all fallen off and some show only a few buds left from what was a heavily budded frond but one photo shows three buds on the left which still seem to be intact.

Thanks again, Dianne

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derwoodii

Ok thanks but nuthin known to me here. A few guesses, perhaps white fly lava damage. A control is Confidor pesticide as its systemic should allow it to get into the fruit bud still 21 years of this is unusual so hmm.
The tree looks in good vigour it structures not ideal but a shame you have missed out on a flower show as Fica are nice at the mo. Perhaps you've got a poor hybrid they can be fickle reckon a gift of a new tree this autumn may be an option.

Lets see if others can help

Eric Frei

This doesn't look right to me.



Looks a little buried, probably grafted root stock. Some of the leaves look like showing signs of excessive water so could make it more inviting for bugs and leaves look a little yellow etc so nutrients a bit out of balance.

I'd say the buds are the opportunistic point to be stung and lay eggs, no matter which bug it is Confidor will kill them all.

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KevinE

Merry Christmas!

There is a relatively new form of delivery for confidor; slow release spikes/pellets that you leave in the ground around the roots of the tree/shrub & they release insecticide every time you water, or it rains.

I think they're absolutely brilliant! Much easier than trying to get liquid onto a large area of leaves. I think they're around $28 for a pack of 4 spikes at the big hardware store chains.

Jeff Darby

If you go the the confidor spike way they have to be watered in so they dissolve and are taken up by your tree. As Eric pointed out excess watering, I would mulch around the drip line too. Good luck.

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Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard !

Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others

© Jeffrey J Darby 2011

KevinE

Good point Jeff.

Funnily enough, I'm in Mt Gambier ATM & there are heaps of C. Ficifolias here! They are a sensational sight, as they're in flower. They seem to grow bigger here than in Adelaide, which is probably due to the more gentle climate & higher rainfall. I've noticed that a small % do not thrive even here though, similar to the pics provided by the OP.

Cheers,

Kevin...........

rainbow_beanie

Thank you all for your time. Next November I will take photos of the flies if they appear all over the tree again.

I do not think that over watering can be a problem as we live on a sand dune at the beach and the water goes straight through almost as soon as anything is watered.

At least there will be a few buds left this year (I hope!) so I will at last see what colour the flowers are.

Next year I will do what you suggest with the Confidor.

Regards, Dianne.