The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Wednesday that a course of treatment measures has been launched for a Cinnamomum burmannii (commonly known as Padang cassia) tree infected with root rot, located in Largo do Senado, the city’s main square.
The statement noted that during a review in 2020, IAM arborists discovered that the Padang cassia showed obvious signs of infected root rot fungus, such as its canopy leaves had slightly turned yellow and the crown top of the twigs had withered.
The statement pointed out that since then the arborists have been carrying out a raft of treatments, such as removing hard objects from the tree’s vicinity, loosening its surrounding soil, pruning its rotten roots and removing fungus from the tree trunk’s base. The statement added that the bureau has continued to observe the tree’s health and further strengthened its treatments.
The statement said that the Padang cassia’s condition has deteriorated sharply since this summer, adding that, for instance, its new leaves have continued to turn yellow, small branches have withered one by one and the fungus has continued to emerge.
The statement underlined that the aborists have continued to apply medicine to the tree while pruning the withered branches to reduce the risk to public safety.
The bureau urged the public to protect the precious tree resource, adding that they can contact the IAM Civic Service Hotline at 2833 7676 or “IAM Connect” if they find any tree abnormalities.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Wednesday shows arborists treating an ailing Cinnamomum burmannii tree, aka Padang cassia, in the city’s main square, Largo do Senado.
