Plant Doctor Archive

Ailing peppertree

Question I HAVE a 4-year-old peppertree (Schinus molle) about 2.2 m high. It is planted in full sun, a well-drained location, between footpath and street. The trunk is sturdy and the structure/ball is well formed. Each spring it seems to lose most of its leaves, yet it has recovered well by Christmas. This year it seems to be worse and I fear it may not recover. Almost all leaves have fallen. The outside layers of bark on the trunk seem to be peeling off, and this condition appears to be moving up the trunk into the lower branches.

Answer UNFORTUNATELY there is no happy ending to this one — these trees do have a nasty habit of doing this. They are particularly prone to root rot and conker to name two. There is nothing you can do for either and the tree will slowly die.