How to recognise myrtle rust

Keep an eye out for myrtle rust in your garden, local parks, and other green areas. Recognise symptoms so you can help protect our environment.

Plants to check for myrtle rust

Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family. Some of our most iconic native plants are vulnerable to myrtle rust, including:

pōhutukawa
mānuka
rātā
swamp maire
ramarama.

Some exotic species can also get the disease, including ornamental plants like bottlebrush and lilly pily.

List of species found with myrtle rust in NZ

Symptoms to look for

Look out for symptoms of myrtle rust, including:

bright yellow powdery eruptions appearing on the underside of the leaf (young infection)
bright yellow powdery eruptions on both sides of the leaf (mature infection)
grey, 'fuzzy' spore growth on undersides of leaves
some leaves may become buckled or twisted and die off.

Use the images below to help identify myrtle rust

Bottlebrush with myrtle rust

Bottlebrush with raised yellow and grey pustules and brown lesions on the leaf indicating myrtle rust. Callistemon is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae. The entire genus is endemic to Australia but widely cultivated in many other regions including New Zealand.

Ramarama with myrtle rust dieback

Ramarama lophomyrtus bullata also commonly known as bubble leaf with myrtle rust dieback present on branch tips. Leaves are browning and curling with yellow pustules present.

Ramarama is an endemic species often found on river edges and regenerating shrubland growing to a height of 8 metres. Distribution is patchy across the North Island and top of the South Island.