A reporter at the Arizona Republic turned to UC experts for a story on oleander leaf scorch, a disease that has killed many of California's oleander plants and is now wreaking havoc in Arizona. In California it is the glassy-winged sharpshooter that is spreading the virus Xylella fastidiosa, which causes oleander leaf scorch in oleanders plus Pierce's disease in grapes. In Arizona the culprit is the smoke tree sharpshooter.
Oleander leaf scorch begins with yellow margins or spots on the leaves before the edges and tips take on a scorched appearance.
"Right now, it's pretty hard to find a healthy oleander anywhere in Riverside. I used to have them in my own backyard," said UC Riverside entomologist Matthew Blua, as quoted by John Faherty in the Republic article.
UC Berkeley professor emeritus Alexander Purcell told the paper that there is no cure.
"I wish I could give you some words of wisdom or encouragement, but there is nothing we can do. With no expectation of recovery, you may as well remove the plants sooner than later."