Canada Nursery P. ramorum info

P. Ramorum (Sudden Oak Death)

P. ramorum, also commonly known as Sudden Oak Death or SOD is a disease that has killed many thousands of oak trees in regions of California. This pathogen has since been found to have a very extensive host range, including nursery plants such as rhododendron, camellia, pyracantha and viburnum. Since it was discovered in California, P. ramorum has also been found in the wild in a relatively small and isolated region of Oregon. P. ramorum has also been found in wholesale nurseries in California, Oregon and Washington and at a small number of wholesale and retail locations in BC. In that province, sites with infected plants are placed under quarantine by the CFIA and infected material has been eradicated.

To prevent the further spread of this pathogen, in 2004 the USDA began to regulate the movement of plants from the three west coast states of CA, OR and WA. Only those nurseries certified as being P. ramoroum-free are ale to ship host plants out of state. As the finds of P. ramorum in BC were limited and considered to be isolated incidents, the CFIA chose to not regulate that province. To further prevent the spread of P. ramorum within Canada, and to provide assurances to their customers of their P. ramorum-free status, most nurseries in BC currently participate in a P. ramorum certification program. This program was developed by the BCLNA and CNLA in cooperation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Click here for more information on the P. ramorum certification program. Here you will also find further links to related sites.