Have you noticed a problem on your lawn with your Sir Walter affected by white spots? The cause could be a tree in your garden which should be easy to spot right now since it’s in full bloom across Brisbane.
Golden Penda
The tree in question is a Golden Penda (Xanthostemon Chrysanthus), which is very popular in new developments. With a beautiful golden flower, it is a bird magnet, making it a wonderful addition to your garden.
Golden Penda first rose to prominence when it was selected as the theme plant for World Expo 88 in Brisbane. Marketed as “Expo Gold”, it was planted en-mass and has been popular ever since in South-East Queensland gardens.
However, while the Golden Penda lives in perfect harmony with the birds, it has been known to be not so friendly to Sir Walter lawns.
What causes Sir Walter affected by white spots
Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon common in several species of trees, where the tree releases a chemical that can be beneficial or harmful to nearby plants. The Golden Penda uses Allelopathy to defend itself from other nearby plants, in the case of your Sir Walter this can cause discolouration of the leaves.
So if you have a Golden Penda in your garden and have noticed your Sir Walter affected by white spots this could be the cause. While this won’t kill your lawn, it will continue to disrupt your lawns photosynthesis process. Also, you will continue to see periods with your Sir Walter affected by white spots.
What can I do about my Sir Walter affected by white spots
The most drastic measure is removing the tree, but if your house has a bird-lover like my house that definitely won’t be an option.
The next option is heavily pruning your Golden Penda before the flowering season, but again the bird-lovers won’t like option because more flowers means more birds!
The best option to keep both your Golden Penda and your Sir Walter lawn happy is to keep them both well fed. Regular fertilising of your Sir Walter lawn will better equip it to deal with the Golden Penda. Also, more nitrogen for the Golden Penda will make it less likely to attack your Sir Walter lawn.
We also recommend using a catcher if mowing your lawn in this situation, to prevent the white spots spreading.
To get some more advice for your Sir Walter lawn or to order a new lawn call our sales team on (07) 3114 8281. You can also to pop in and order in person at our sales office on 1/243 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge. The office opens Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 12pm.
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