Phony peach disease, or Xylella fastidiosa, has caused severe damage to plants and trees in the US and some parts of Europe, and an outbreak in Jersey or the UK could lead to the destruction of many species within 100 metres of the outbreak.
Scott Meadows, head of plant health at the Environment Department, said that in an effort to guard against the disease, landscapers, designers, retailers and anyone who was directly importing plants to the Island were now subject to the same stringent measures as growers and suppliers.
The disease can affect several different species of trees and shrubs, including rosemary, lavender, maple, bay and sycamore trees – the strain present in Europe is also resistant to the cold.
