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Identifying myrtle rust

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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)
  • brown/grey rust pustules (older spores) on older lesions
  • 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

Feijoa with myrtle rust

Feijoa with myrtle rust

Feijoa with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Acca sellowiana, a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, is native to the highlands of southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and Colombia. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree and for its fruit.

Lillypilly with myrtle rust

Lilly pilly/Monkey apple with myrtle rust

Lilly Pilly with raised yellow pustules and red-brown lesions indicating myrtle rust. Syzygium smithii is a summer-flowering, winter-fruiting evergreen tree, belonging to the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It shares the common name "lilly pilly" with several other plants. In New Zealand, it is commonly known as 'monkey apple'

Manuka with myrtle rust

Mānuka with myrtle rust

Mānuka with yellow and grey pustules on leaves with small red-brown lesions indicating myrtle rust. Leptospermum scoparium, commonly called mānuka, manuka, manuka myrtle, New Zealand teatree, broom tea-tree, or just tea tree, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to Australia and New Zealand.

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Photo credit CSIRO.

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with raised yellow pustules on the underside of the leaf. Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Photo credit CSIRO. 

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with raised yellow pustules and brown lesions. Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Photo credit CSIRO

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This website was developed from a partnership between Biosecurity New Zealand (a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries) and the Department of Conservation to host a one stop shop of information about myrtle rust in New Zealand. 

Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family. A number of organisations are involved in safeguarding the Mauri of myrtle species and dependent ecosystems including the Department of Conservation, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated and Project Crimson.

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