What's eating my king billy pine?

King Billy Pine is rarely cultivated outside Tasmania and has very few recorded pest problems. Its primary threats are Phytophthora root disease and fire in the wild. In garden cultivation, poor drainage causing root rot and occasional bark beetles on stressed trees are the main risks to watch for.

Root decay, crown dieback, wilting and yellowing foliage; most dangerous on waterlogged or clay soils; documented threatening wild Tasmanian populations. Plant in well-drained soil; avoid overwatering; apply phosphonate treatments as a preventive; do not move soil or water from infected areas.

Adult feeding notches on bark; larval galleries under bark on weakened or dying stems; can girdle young branches. Maintain tree vigour through correct siting and watering; remove and destroy dead wood promptly; insecticide sprays on bark offer limited benefit.