Deformed growth on Allocasuarina Torulosa??

[Rory]

The picture with the caption 'Deformed growth Torulosa 1' shows it best.



Is this a deformed growth, or is it some sort of disease? It kind of retards the growth of the needles, and makes for an unattractive look. So far, I have only noticed it on the Torulosa that I have.

I have cut off the areas that grow in this retarded manner, but I can't help wondering, is it a normal part of Torulosa, or is it some of pest or disease? Because I've never seen it grow like this in normal nurseries.

I have about 8 Torulosa with this problem.

You can see the normal darker green needles that are normal, then you see this twisted sort of mess that is a lighter green of the problem growth I am talking about.

[Billy]

Casuarina spp do this now and then,
my Casas get it occassionally , I have had some like the first in this link(not my blog) and tried a cutting once which took but faded off. This deformed growth may actually be of benefit to Bonsai use as it usually has smaller internodes and unusually twisted/not straight growth.Maybe try taking it as a cutting and try it out.

Link
http://hdpphd.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/f ... other.html

[bamboos]

G'day BBm
I too have this type of growth on one of my torulosa and have been wondering about it. its nice to know I'm not alone. I was going to leave mine and see if it developed more of this growth. Maybe it will be good for bonsai!
Steve

[Reece]

I see this all the time on actual Casuarina trees. Would be interested to know what it is and what causes it.....

[Rory]

John Batty, from the Central Coast Bonsai Society was very helpful, and took my poor bewitched tree to a native expert, who advised it is 'witches broom'.

This link:
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamen ... isease.htm

appears to detail more about it. Pretty much, just cut below the start of the abnormality, is the best advice I now have for anyone with similar problem.

Casuarina spp do this now and then,
my Casas get it occassionally , I have had some like the first in this link(not my blog) and tried a cutting once which took but faded off. This deformed growth may actually be of benefit to Bonsai use as it usually has smaller internodes and unusually twisted/not straight growth.Maybe try taking it as a cutting and try it out.

Link
http://hdpphd.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/f ... other.html

I can assure you, you don't want to grow or propogate this. The growth is quite displeasing to the eye and it tends to die back. It doesn't grow in a 'good' deformed way. If you have this on your tree, get rid of the affected area. There is nothing pleasing about it. It also clearly lacks nutrients if you look closely at the deformed area, showing a distinct lack of vitality.

[Rory]

Since pointing out this deformed growth, I have increased the number of Casuarina I own by a huge number.
The incidences of this appearance of the deformed growth is also on Allocasuarina littoralis. I have so far not noticed it on cunninghamiana or glauca, but I do not have as many of these as I do the other species.

Now, this is just a theory. But I have a suspicion that it actually forms when vast amount of nutrients are tapped into. I have greatly increased the fertilizing regime since I originally wrote this thread. Now, it may be a coincidence, but it is a theory I would be interested in pursuing. I haven't tested this theory as it doesn't concern me greatly nor affect the health of the tree, but it would be interesting to know the science behind why it forms.

If this theory is correct, then I would presume in the wild that the roots simply find a source of ample nutrients somewhere in the ground, or perhaps it is a specific nutrient that is in the fertilizer that I use that is greatly increased by applying the fertilizer, unlike in the wild where it may be harder to come by.

The only solution is to simply continue cutting off the affected growth.

[treeman]

It's very important for good growth on casuarina that they be inoculated with Frankia or similar actinomycetes. You can incorporate some soil from beneath ground trees in your p/mix to do this.
Without it growth can be very weak and leggy although I don't know if it is causing this issue? Also when they are inoculated, feeding them is no so important anymore.
All specimens should have strange irregular nodules here and there on the roots. (similar to rhizobium on Acacia)

[Rory]

It's very important for good growth on casuarina that they be inoculated with Frankia or similar actinomycetes. You can incorporate some soil from beneath ground trees in your p/mix to do this.
Without it growth can be very weak and leggy although I don't know if it is causing this issue? Also when they are inoculated, feeding them is no so important anymore.
All specimens should have strange irregular nodules here and there on the roots. (similar to rhizobium on Acacia)

I was not aware of that. All my stock, (mostly all), are grown in orchid pots. These orchid pots are then placed onto the ground and the roots are allowed to penetrate into the ground. As soon as the roots start hitting the Earth, they begin to really thicken. I certainly do not have weak and leggy growth. I used to when they were elsewhere and subjected to too much shade, but that has since been addressed.

I appreciate your input, but I don't think this would be an issue here. The retarded growth is all over the shop. The stock is definitely not in poor health for it to appear. The percentage of the overall tree that you will see it on (on any 1 particular tree) is quite small. Unless it is a seedling, then it can be different. Probably only 1or 2 % of growth at most, which is why you probably wouldn't notice it on a tree in the wild, but if it is indeed witches broom, then you do occasionally notice that large blobby thing way up there in the tree in the wild.

[dansai]

Mistletoe?

[Sno]

Witches broom . Have you tried to propagate them ? To me the growth looks like it has desirable qualities ie short internodes .

[Redsonic]

Witches broom . Have you tried to propagate them ? To me the growth looks like it has desirable qualities ie short internodes .

This page: BCI claims some witches brooms are propagated deliberately, and are called "Yatsubusa"

[Rory]

Witches broom . Have you tried to propagate them ? To me the growth looks like it has desirable qualities ie short internodes .

Wouldn't even contemplate it.

The growth is horrid. It slowly dies off over time and is really unpleasant to look at. You can't do anything with it as it grows diseased and sickly.

[Rory]

Witches broom . Have you tried to propagate them ? To me the growth looks like it has desirable qualities ie short internodes .

This page: BCI claims some witches brooms are propagated deliberately, and are called "Yatsubusa"

The bonsai that would be deliberately propagated from this particular growth would be called "Yuckycrap".

[mountainman]

My experience with them is, the 'allo's',will at some stage get this growth,as it is quite different to the cunninghamiana's.The 'allo's are wide spread through Aus, and particularly in Central Aus. Around Alice, and Uluru,the grow feral.You would never recognise them as She oaks,as they look totally different.I was told by the local ranger, they grow this way to conserve water.Their tap roots,have been known to go down as far as 15-20 or more mtrs,to reach the water table So, the unusual growth you get, is transformed to retain as much moisture as possible.In fact, all those people that have been to Uluru,or the Alice,you may have noticed these weird looking trees.The lower branches resemble very coarse looking 'allo' needles, but then there is a spurt of growth, from about 3-5 mtrs,without any branching, and a celery top looking head pyramid shape.So with yours, I think it will be a natural occurance,and will continue.If you keep pruning it too much, you may start losing too many branches so be careful.I don't think it is your feeding program, maybe more of a watering thing.Obviously in Central Aus, watering is a problem,not very often,so I think the two cases in point are similar.

[dansai]

From the research I've been doing since this topic popped up is that many things can cause witches brooms. Fungus, insects, virus, mistletoe, ...... The list goes on. Saw quite a few casuarinas at Bonsai World on the Central Coast of NSW recently a day or so before the first post. I'm with Rory. Cut it off and grow it on.