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bonsaiTALK Journeyman
Join Date: Aug-2007
Location: Southeast Tennessee
Country: USA
Posts: 25
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black olive dropping leaves
I recently purchased a fairly large black olive tree...(Bucida spinosa). I didnt touch it for approx. one week to allow it to recover from its 2 day journey in a dark box. It seemed to be in very good health although lost a few leaves which I thought was probably from the stress of being shipped from Florida in that box. About 3 days ago I did some light pinching back of the leaves in the crouches of the branches. I didnt cut or remove any hard wood at all.....just pinched back leaves It was at this time I noticed the white powdery substance on some of the leaves. I purchased an insecticidal soap which seems to be having no affect at all on the powdery substance and more and more leaves are dropping at a faster rate and amount daily. Then I read on the soap very thouroughly and no where did it mention white powder mold or mildew...only insects. Up to this point the damge as far as appearance hasnt been to harmful as it needed pruning anyway...but at its present rate I'm afraid it wont be long before the tree cant be saved from this blight. So I desperately need some advise on how to handle and eradicate this white powder from this tree. It is about 27 inches tall and 36 inches white with a trunck of 1.5 inches and it has great potential if I can save it. I live in southest Tn....zone 7. It also had black soot mold on the trunk which I washed off with a mild solution of dish soap and insecticidal soap and that seems to be ok now.
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