little white spots

my cypres bonsai is dying.

there are little white spots on new growth and old soon after the spots appear that portion turns brown.

I have tried a fungacide without any luck.

any thought what i can do

thanx
jim

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Dr.Bonsai

Your cypress is most likely a species of Chamecyparis, something like a Hinoki Cypress? These are actually false cypress, the most common "cypress" used for bonsai.

Although they are generally considered low-maintenance and largely disease-free, Chamecyparis and juniper are both occasionally affected by blight. This is a fungal growth that attacks only the new growth on the tree, with the older growth being resistant.

Your description of the problem suggests that you may have Kabatina tip blight. Phomopsis is another type of tip blight, but it leaves a darker nodule.

In any case these control methods will help:
[*]Make sure that the foliage is not allowed to remain wet overnight.[*]Prune out any affected branch tips. [*]If the growth is dense at points, prune to improve ventilation

If it is truly a Kabatina/Phomopsis blight, then application of a copper-based fungicide to the foliage might be beneficial. Infection typically occurs in the summer months through insect vectors or mechanical damage, and the symptoms appear much later. So, this may be why you haven't seen any improvement, despite the fact you have already begun a fungicide treatment.

The following articles have more information on tip blight:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3056.html

http://www.forestpests.org/southern/Diseases/phmbsis.htm

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/phomopsis/phomopsis.htm

http://fhpr8.srs.fs.fed.us/idotis/diseases/phomopbl.html

Adobe PDF format:

http://www.utextension.utk.edu/spfiles/sp277b.pdf

Good luck,

Dr. Bonsai

Joao_Felipe

My trident maple is with very small white spots in its leaves, specially in the new sprouts where they're dying. Is it the same disease? These little spots has just appeared but they seem to be killing my plant. What should I use to kill them?
Thank you,
João Felipe Kudo

TreeBay

Hi Joao,

Is there any way you can post a picture? What season is it where you're growing?

Regards,

Matt

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Joao_Felipe

Hi Matt,
Unfortunately I couldn't post a picture right now, because I don't have a digital camera and I've been traveling for a four days so I returned today. The white spots have disapeared, but all the new buds of my maple are dead. It only has old leaves.
I suspect it is overwatering, because it's raining a lot where I live. Does overwatering make this kind of thing with trident maples? Should I protect it from rain?
Thank you again,

João Felipe Kudo

When you say white spots do you mean just a faded spot or do they look like little bumps?

Joao_Felipe

Tony: There were lot of little spots and they were very small. they only appeared in the all of the new buds, which are dead now.

TreeBay

Hi Joao,

I am guessing you are in mid-spring right now?

It's hard to tell, but this may be a possibility:

http://www.ent.agri.umn.edu/cues/IPM-trees/C.htm#Calico-scale

In general, you don't want the soil soggy for extended periods, even if the tree is dormant. If necessary, tilt the pots to improve the drainage and/or place under some kind of cover.

Soggy soil leading to root rot could account for leaf drop, but not the white spots you've seen.

Regards,

Matt

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Yes, Scale was what it reminded me of. They usually like to collect a branch junctures and suck the sap from the tree. I've never seen any that's white but there are many different kinds. It wouldn't hurt to treat your tree with insecticidal soap to make sure they're all gone.

Tony