Myrtle Rust Logo
  • About myrtle rust
    • How to recognise myrtle rust
    • What to do if you find myrtle rust
    • What is a myrtle plant?
    • What is myrtle rust?
    • Where is myrtle rust?
    • How does myrtle rust spread?
    • What's the risk from myrtle rust?
    • History of myrtle rust in Aotearoa New Zealand
    • Species infected with myrtle rust in New Zealand
  • Resources
  • Science & research
    • Myrtle Rust Science Plan
    • Myrtle rust science stocktake
    • Investment in research
    • MPI-funded research reports
    • Beyond Myrtle Rust
    • MPI Research projects
    • Ngā Rākau Taketake
  • News
    • Trans -Tasman collaboration unlocks genetic secrets behind myrtle rust
    • New app to identify plants at risk of myrtle rust
    • Myrtle Rust can infect mānuka fruit and seeds
    • Myrtle Rust Sentinel Monitoring at Auckland Botanic Gardens
  • Training

How to recognise myrtle rust

  1. Home
  2. About myrtle rust
  3. How to recognise myrtle rust

Keep an eye out for myrtle rust in your garden, local parks, and other green areas. Recognise symptoms so you can help protect our environment. 

Plants to check for myrtle rust

Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family. Some of our most iconic native plants are vulnerable to myrtle rust, including:

  • pōhutukawa
  • mānuka
  • rātā
  • swamp maire
  • ramarama.

Some exotic species can also get the disease, including ornamental plants like bottlebrush and lilly pily.

List of species found with myrtle rust in NZ

Symptoms to look for

Look out for symptoms of myrtle rust, including:

  • bright yellow powdery eruptions appearing on the underside of the leaf (young infection)
  • bright yellow powdery eruptions on both sides of the leaf (mature infection)
  • grey, 'fuzzy' spore growth on undersides of leaves
  • some leaves may become buckled or twisted and die off.

Use the images below to help identify myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with raised yellow pustules on the underside of the leaf indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama leaf with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Rata with myrtle rust

Rātā with myrtle rust

Rātā with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Rātā trees, along with the pōhutukawa, are one of the best known native trees in New Zealand. Native birds benefit from rātā, but as possum numbers increase the threat to native birds and to rātā has also grown.

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Yellow pustules on seedling stem and red lesions on leaves of a young Eucalyptus plant indicating myrtle rust. Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. 

Rata with myrtle rust

Rātā with myrtle rust

Rātā leaf with brown-red lesions indicating myrtle rust. Rātā trees, along with the pōhutukawa, are one of the best known native trees in New Zealand. Native birds benefit from rātā, but as possum numbers increase the threat to native birds and to rātā has also grown.

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with grey-brown older spores indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Willow myrtle with myrtle rust

Willow myrtle with myrtle rust

Willow myrtle with red-brown lesions indicating myrtle rust. Agonis flexuosa is a species of tree in the myrtle family. It has clusters of small white flowers that grow on the branches in between the leaves in spring and summer. 

Pohutukawa with myrtle rust

Pōhutukawa with myrtle rust

Pōhutukawa with grey spores more common in winter. Pōhutukawa is New Zealand's Christmas tree, and holds a prominent place in Maori mythology. Although the fortunes of pōhutukawa and rata have changed for the better, they are still threatened by people and pests. Photo credit DOC. 

Pohutukawa with myrtle rust

Pōhutukawa with myrtle rust

Pōhutukawa with myrtle rust yellow pustules. Pōhutukawa is New Zealand's Christmas tree, and holds a prominent place in Maori mythology. Although the fortunes of pōhutukawa and rata have changed for the better, they are still threatened by people and pests. Photo credit DOC. 

Rata with myrtle rust

Rātā with myrtle rust

Rātā where leaves have become buckled and are dying off due to myrtle rust. Rātā trees, along with the pōhutukawa, are one of the best known native trees in New Zealand. Native birds benefit from rātā, but as possum numbers increase the threat to native birds and to rātā has also grown.

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with older grey-white pustules on stem and leaves indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

A ramarama plant with myrtle

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with raised yellow pustules on lower surface of leaf indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Ramarama with myrtle

Ramarama with myrtle rust

Ramarama with raised yellow pustules on upper surface of leaf indicating myrtle rust. Ramarama is an endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. 

Feijoa with myrtle rust

Feijoa with myrtle rust

Feijoa with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Acca sellowiana, a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, is native to the highlands of southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and Colombia. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree and for its fruit.

Lillypilly with myrtle rust

Lilly pilly/Monkey apple with myrtle rust

Lilly Pilly with raised yellow pustules and red-brown lesions indicating myrtle rust. Syzygium smithii is a summer-flowering, winter-fruiting evergreen tree, belonging to the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It shares the common name "lilly pilly" with several other plants. In New Zealand, it is commonly known as 'monkey apple'

Manuka with myrtle rust

Mānuka with myrtle rust

Mānuka with yellow and grey pustules on leaves with small red-brown lesions indicating myrtle rust. Leptospermum scoparium, commonly called mānuka, manuka, manuka myrtle, New Zealand teatree, broom tea-tree, or just tea tree, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to Australia and New Zealand.

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with myrtle rust

Eucalyptus with raised yellow pustules indicating myrtle rust. Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Photo credit CSIRO.

  • «
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • »

This website was developed from a partnership between Biosecurity New Zealand (a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries) and the Department of Conservation to host a one stop shop of information about myrtle rust in New Zealand. 

Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family. A number of organisations are involved in safeguarding the Mauri of myrtle species and dependent ecosystems including the Department of Conservation, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated and Project Crimson. Thank you to all contributing parties who have provided content and images to support this website resource.

Biosecurity New Zealand Tiakitanga Putaiao Aotearoa Logo Department of Conservation Logo Ko Tatou - This Is Us Biosecurity 2025 Logo New Zealand Government Logo
Ngā Taonga