The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Crippling plant disease myrtle rust found in Tauranga

John Cousins
By John Cousins
Senior reporter, Bay of Plenty Times·Bay of Plenty Times·
6 Dec, 2017 06:38 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Plant disease myrtle rust on willow myrtle. Photo/supplied

Plant disease myrtle rust on willow myrtle. Photo/supplied

The first cases of myrtle rust have been discovered in Tauranga with fears it may be too late to stop the spread of the yellow-coloured fungal disease.

The Ministry for Primary Industries yesterday confirmed the outbreak on two Bethlehem properties.

Myrtle rust is a fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family, and myrtle rust response controller Dr Catherine Duthie said the disease was found on ramarama, with both reports from members of the public.

She said they were the first cases of myrtle rust in Tauranga.

The ministry said it appeared ramarama and pohutukawa were the most susceptible myrtle species in New Zealand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Outbreaks of the wind-born rust were followed by a team from the ministry removing all affected plants. Myrtle rust has previously been found in Te Puke, with 18 confirmed sites in the Bay earlier this year.

The ministry did not disclose the locations of myrtle rust outbreaks.

The co-owner of Decor Gardenworld in Bethlehem, Ginny Clark, had not been notified about the two cases in Bethlehem.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said they had very strict systems in place, including checking for the disease every day and preventative spraying. Susceptible plants were sterilised before delivery.

''Everybody needs to be aware but unfortunately it could be in parks and reserves or bush areas ... the horse has potentially bolted.''

Ron Mossop of Mossop's Honey said their hives had all been moved out of the city.

He said the impact of myrtle rust on manuka had yet to be proven.

Discover more

Partnership to protect Mauao from myrtle rust

23 May 12:42 AM

''They are pretty hardy plants. We have not felt the impact of myrtle rust yet.''

Grant Tennet, whose Te Puna citrus nursery was not affected because citrus was not a myrtle species, believed the ministry was hitting its head against a brick wall in trying to control it.

He said the disease could be managed in nurseries and commercial orchards.

''But out in the hills who will be spraying?''

The good news was that feijoas were a lot more resistant to myrtle rust, he said.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Premium
The Country

NZ can absorb 15% tariff shock – ANZ group chief economist

The Country

Operator of troubled Kāeo water scheme trespassed from plant

The Country

Back to school with David Seymour on The Country


Sponsored

Kiss cams and passion cohorts: how brands get famous in culture

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Premium
Premium
NZ can absorb 15% tariff shock – ANZ group chief economist
The Country

NZ can absorb 15% tariff shock – ANZ group chief economist

Trump tariffs will hurt exports but the macroeconomy can cope, an economist says.

04 Aug 03:00 AM
Operator of troubled Kāeo water scheme trespassed from plant
The Country

Operator of troubled Kāeo water scheme trespassed from plant

04 Aug 02:44 AM
Back to school with David Seymour on The Country
The Country

Back to school with David Seymour on The Country

04 Aug 02:11 AM


Kiss cams and passion cohorts: how brands get famous in culture
Sponsored

Kiss cams and passion cohorts: how brands get famous in culture

01 Aug 12:26 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP