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Greening Info

Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB) or yellow dragon disease, is one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. It was first confirmed in Florida in 2005.

Greening is a bacterial disease that attacks a tree’s vascular system and greatly reduces production, destroys the economic value of fruit, and can kill trees. It has significantly shrunk citrus production in Florida, Asia, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Brazil. HLB is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny bug not native to Florida.

Once infected, there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening disease. In areas of the world where citrus greening is endemic, citrus trees decline and die within a few years. The disease specifically attacks citrus plants and presents no threat to humans or animals.

Citrus greening has currently been confirmed in 32 Florida counties.

Some of this information taken from APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine Factsheet March 2007