Persea americana syn. Persea gratissima

This "sugar volcano" is most likely the result of the ambrosia beetle which kills avocado trees at an alarming rate. Both of my avocado trees had this growth this morning and I have cut off the affected area on each tree. Hopefully the trees will be saved but it is most unlikely. Sad day for my avocados. :( #pest #sugarvolcano #ambrosiabeetle #avocados #deathsentence

RIP I'm so sorry..😞😞 Had they ever produced fruit for you?

@skellyshelly 👆👆

@drnicko unfortunately, no. These two trees are replacements for a couple that I lost two years ago to the same problem. The ambrosia beetle is attacking avocado trees here at the devastating speed.

@skellyshelly that's such a shame. Is the beetle an invading species? 👍

@drnicko The beetle actually carries a fungus and the beetle itself won't kill the plant but the fungus does. It's fatal and devastating to the Laurel family of trees. It's quite an epidemic here. In Miami there are huge avocado groves that have been wiped out because of this problem.

@drnicko http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs379

That is so sad! We have a similar problem with citrus trees. Whole groves have been removed and burned. Sad.