Water Oak Too Close to Building: Hazard Tree Removal Needed

Water oak 7 ft from building, 9 ft high. Storm dropped large branches damaging AC units and roof. Roots breaking retaining wall, debris on condo sidewalk. City denies removal. Expert Opinion: Remove or Heavily Prune Tre

Ficus Oozing White/Red Powder at Drainage Holes: Fungus from Overwatering

Indoor ficus in pot oozes white/reddish powdery substance from drainage holes. Plant looks okay otherwise. Diagnosis: Mushroom/Puffball Fungus Indicates overly wet soil. Wont immediately harm plant but spreads and leads

Euonymus Fortunei Leaf Drop and Brown Edges: Underwatering or Scale?

Hardy euonymus dropped leaves with brown edges in spring. Dormant spray halted drop temporarily, but symptoms returned on lower leaves after a month. Wood chip mulch complicates leaf cleanup. Expert Opinion Melissa thin

Oak Tree Sparse Leaves, Dead Branches: Post-Drought Stress

Oak in Texas not leafing well, some branches dead. Photo shows Spanish moss (lower left) and lichen (right branches). Arborist ruled out oak wilt last year. Diagnosis: 2011 Drought Aftermath Record Texas heat/drought se

New Rose of Sharon Yellowing Leaves: Underwatering Most Likely

Newly planted rose of sharon (2 weeks) shows yellowing/dropping leaves, irregular dark spots (like burns). Primary Cause: Insufficient Water New shrubs need water every 2-3 days for months. Burn marks = desiccation. Ful

Arborvitae Bottom Dieback: Herbicide Suspected

5-ft arborvitae (planted last year) survived NJ winter but bottom 1-2 ft dying. Along 18-inch knee wall, 1-2 ft from wall. Planned community—possible lawn herbicide exposure. Investigation Steps Request photo showing li

Dwarf Plum Tree Failure: Rootstock Reversion, Return It

New dwarf plum tree didnt grow; shoots emerging from base below graft. Verdict: Graft Failed Shoots from rootstock mean graft died. Resulting tree will have inferior/inedible fruit, weak growth. Return for credit immedi

Scotch Broom White Coating: Mealybug or Scale, Not Mold

Scotch broom has fuzzy white coating on stems/leaves. Owner thinks mold. Diagnosis: Insect, Not Disease Likely mealybug or scale (cottony/fuzzy appearance). Snip affected stem, take to local garden center for ID and con

Boston Ivy Whitefly/Scale and Chewing Damage: Organic Dual Treatment

10+ year Boston ivy on brick wall shows leaf holes, white droplets on leaf backs, tiny bugs. Two issues: sucking insects (whitefly/scale) and chewers. Organic Treatment Plan Step 1: Spray horticultural/biorganic oil on

Cherry and Dogwood Borer Infestation: Dual Treatment Approach

Dogwood (5 ft) nearly dead from borers (D-shaped holes, peeling bark). New cherry (25 ft away) shows similar: bark peeling, slit with dried sap, amber glob at base. Owner applied Bayer systemic, Bio-tone, insecticide. D

Japanese Red Maple Post-Transplant Leaf Spots: Need Photo

5-year-old potted Japanese red maple transplanted 2 weeks ago. Yellowish raised spots on leaf edges, some curling/shriveling. Hole 2x root ball, generous watering. Information Needed Expert requests: (1) Photo of sympto

Holly Scale Insects: Rice-Grain Bumps on Leaf Undersides

China Girl/Boy hollies have white, rice-grain-sized bumps on leaf undersides. Identification: Scale Non-moving insects under protective shells sucking plant juices. Common on holly. Treatment Spray horticultural oil (S

Gardenia Tan Leaf Spots: Scale or Whitefly Treatment

39-year-old gardenia has small tan spots like paint splatters on leaves. Diagnosis: Scale or Whitefly Shake branch: whitefly clouds = whitefly. No clouds = scale. Both cause similar spots (honeydew/sooty mold). Treatme

Plum Tree Curled Leaves with Tubes: Leaf Curl Plum Aphid

Plum tree has curled leaves with 1/4-inch hollow tubes on undersides. Not eggs—emerging from leaf tissue. Identification: Leaf Curl Plum Aphid Shiny, green to brown aphids inside curled leaves. Overwinter as eggs near b

Chinese Pistache Hail Damage: Assessment and Monitoring

Young Chinese pistache hit by golf-ball hail 2 weeks ago. Photos show top-of-branch impact wounds, healing. Trunk and main branch wounds visible. Some shredded leaves. Diagnosis Confirmed Classic hail damage: one-sided,

Bradford Pear Red Leaves Falling: Fire Blight or Genetic Decline?

15-year-old Bradford pear shows bright red leaves falling off. Owner suspects fire blight. Fire Blight vs. Genetic Issue Fire blight: dark brown/black leaves from branch tips, random distribution. Uniform premature red

Mexican Weeping Pine Seedlings Dying: Tip Blight and Drainage

Seedlings started from seed last fall, hardened off this spring. Some show tip dieback (gray-white needles) progressing to whole plant death. Possible Causes Foliage/twig pathogens require lab confirmation. Contact coun

Lemon Tree Fruit with Brown Spots: Citrus Disease Identification

6-year-old lemon in Louisiana (ground 3 years) produced 100+ fruit, now silver-dollar-sized hard brown spots causing drying/drop. Owner needs urgent help. Possible Diseases Citrus canker, black spot, scab, alternaria (c

Cherry Tree Sap, Bark Cracks, and Amber Glob: Borer Infestation

Newly planted weeping cherry (March) shows bark peeling, slit with sap, amber glob at soil line (recurs after removal). Nearby dogwood dying from borers (D-shaped holes). Owner applied Bayer systemic, Bio-tone, insectici

Slow-Growing Tree with Burnt Leaves in Texas Hill Country

3-year-old, 12-ft tree in Texas Hill Country shows minimal growth, mixed dark/light green leaves with brown burnt edges. Owner wanted fast growth. Reality Check Fast-growing advertised trees often underperform, are dise