Lower Cordyline leaves

I did post about this not long before winter started, but I have a Cordyline whose lower leaves have rust, (the yellow blotches), but the leaves are still largely green, but I'm not sure if Ive read that rust infected leaves should be cut off, the top leaves are ok. If I were to cut off the bottom leaves (there's quite a few of them, but quite a lot of top leaves too), then I have fungicide I could add to prevent rot. Is it generally a good idea or should I just leave those leaves on?

 

Hi
Sounds like you have the green version , I have a deep red/purple leaved form which never seems to suffer , I have tried sprays the lot in the end it just comes back the leaf spot.

Spruce

 

You're right, I have the purple/red form touching the green form in question (which is fairly large, about 7 feet from trunk base to lead tip), but the red form never inherits these yellow spots. Yes I have sprayed our green one a fair bit since winter, but the rust remains on the older leaves.. that said, not much on newer leaves as there was, so it may be working. the older leaves look tatty as they were weighed down by snow a month back, so they're kind of drooping all over the other plants..

 

Hi

I think once its marked its marked.
Strange how the red forms dont get it ? the bees love the flowers

No 7 footers around here yet the winter of 2011/2012 finished them all off

I remember when they 1st arrived in the garden centers , the "must have plant" which I did ! I have tried out several forms over the years.

Spruce

 

Are you sure its rust Stephen?
Mine get yellow spots on the older leaves, which I must admit dont look good, but I think it might just be part of the ageing process.
If it was rust it would also attack the newer leaves.

Also rust usually goes through the stage where you can rub it off, when its shedding spores.

 

It was showing on the new leaves in winter Pete, but since I sprayed it with fungicide the new leaves look much better..?

 

Have you got a picture Stephen?

 

This was taken in early winter..

The mid leaves:



and the newer leaves:



the newer leaves are better now though and the lower leaves still have this marking.

 

It looks fairly normal to me Stephen, mine have those yellow spots, always have.
It doesn't seem to affect growth.

I've always thought it was normal ageing, or at the worst a bacterial disease that the plant seems to live with.