Sunday, June 30, 2013

Former Lemon Tree

The remains of a lemon tree in a nearby front yard, showing evidence of an extreme infestation of citrus gall wasp:
Last time I walked past it there were a few leaves hanging on, but now it is completely bare, and appears to have died. I don't know if it was the wasp that killed it. There is a cumquat tree in the same yard which looks quite healthy and has no sign of gall wasp. Presumably the wasps like lemons much more than cumquats!

I've had a small number of galls this year, which I am cutting out as I see them. But when there are trees like this in the neighbourhood, there is no chance of eliminating the wasp all together.

2 comments:

Kate said...

I have to confess our 2 lemon trees got to look very sick, before we realised the problem. however with really really serious pruning they recovered (although it was two years before they fruited again) We now watch them closely!

kaiteM said...

I read that the only remedy is to cut and remove as soon as sighted.