Magnolia Honeydew: Insect Excrement, Not Tree Sap

Magnolia bloomed well, now exuding clear sticky sap. Diagnosis Clear sticky substance is honeydew (insect excrement) from insects feeding on tree or plant above it—not tree sap. Action Search leaves for insects. Snip s

Whiteflies on Weeping Mulberry: Identification and Monitoring

Small white moths on weeping mulberry; asking if harmful and how to remove. Assessment If dandruff-like when shaking leaves, likely whiteflies. Otherwise, collect in jar for ID at extension office or nursery. Action Mo

Sago Palm No New Growth: Cone Production or Pot-Bound

14-year-old sago grew center ball 3 years ago, never leafed out, orange ball-like pods fill center, no leaves for 3 years. Assessment Orange pods are likely male/female cones—normal reproduction. If in pot, may be root-

Spider Mites vs. Spiders on English Garden Plants

Spider-like webs on lemon thyme, ajuga in English garden; asking for treatment. Assessment Spider mites make delicate webbing at leaf-stem junctions. Regular spiders cause no harm. If plant looks healthy, may be cosmeti

Fall Webworm on Rosemary: Biological Control with Dipel

Three 10-year-old, 4-ft rosemary bushes in LA County covered daily with white webs; light brown moths fly out; hosing ineffective. Identification Fall webworms—caterpillars making webs on branch tips, feeding at night.

Caterpillar Defoliation of White Birch: Systemic Soil Treatment

Southern Ontario: 18 large white birches infested with caterpillars (no tents), stripping leaves. Heard of spring pour-on insecticide; asking if too late. Advice Pour-on works best spring-applied. Check garden center fo

Meyer Lemon Fruit Fungus: Cross-Pollination and Atomic Grow

7-year-old in-ground Meyer lemon in Central FL: half fruit has ruddy brown skin fungus, not stunting growth. Leaves/trunk healthy. More seeds in fruit over years. Diagnosis Cross-pollination with grapefruit (up to 2 mil

Crown of Thorns Stem Rot: Overwatering in Containers

Crown of thorns shows blackish web-like mold at stem base, spreading, killing plants. Bayer and neem failed. Roots look good, black trunk skin peels, green sap underneath. Diagnosis Root/stem rot from persistent wet soi

Sooty Mold on Houseplants: Amaryllis and Ficus

Black powdery substance on amaryllis and ficus leaves in Florida screened porch; hard to wash off, many leaves. Diagnosis Sooty mold growing on honeydew from sucking insects (likely scale or aphids). Poor air circulatio

Wax Scale on Little Gem Magnolia: Systemic Treatment

Newly planted Little Gem Magnolias in Birmingham, AL show growths on branches (photo). Identification Wax scale insects—also common on hollies. Suck plant juices, weaken tree. Treatment Few scales: prune and destroy af

Oakleaf Holly "Dirt Clumps": Harmless Spider Egg Sacs

May 2009 planted Oakleaf Holly in middle TN shows black/dark brown clumps at leaf-stem junctions, rubbing off easily. Diagnosis Not sooty mold (initially suspected). Photo reveals small nests likely harboring baby spide

Dutch Elm Disease Protection: Beetle-Vectored Fungus

Most elms lost to Dutch Elm Disease; few survivors remain. Asking about protection methods. Disease Mechanism Fungus spread by elm bark beetles. Atomic Grow may increase tree metabolism/sucrose levels to overcome diseas

Norway Maple Woolly Leaf Issue: Need Photo or Description

Four 20-25 ft Norway maples on Long Island dropping leaves with elongated white woolly objects on undersides. Owner cannot send photo. Next Steps Describe size, shape, consistency, location (leaves vs. twigs). Options:

Lilac Bacterial Blight: Brown-to-Black Leaves, Not Just Water Issues

Question about leaf color meanings: yellow=underwater, black=overwater, what does brown mean? Follow-up: lilac leaves/flowers browning after stopping water. Clarification Brown/black tips = overwatering. But lilac bligh

Bacterial Canker Devastating Kwanzan Cherry Row: Rapid Spread

Estate entrance lined with Kwanzan cherries in NC foothills. One tree declined in 3 days (gel sap, pale leaves, total defoliation). Four more now showing same. Broad-spectrum sprays failed. Extension agent stumped. Fire

Honeysuckle Flower Distortion: Thrips or Herbicide Damage

Elderly neighbors honeysuckle flowers curl, shrivel, fail to open; leaves fine. Possible Causes Thrips (tiny insects) inside flowers cause distortion/abortion. Herbicide drift can distort growth. Thrips are hard to see

Ash Leaf Roller on Green Ash: Cosmetic Damage, Minimal Harm

35-year-old green ash in Calgary shows most leaves folded/rolled but green; unrolled leaves reveal wheat-like structures inside. Identification Ash leaf roller moth—native to eastern US/Canada, in prairies since 1999. C

Fruitless Mulberry One-Sided Decline: Chemical Injury Suspected

Old fruitless mulberry shows dark brown, curling, smaller leaves on lower branches of one side only. Assessment Not a typical disease pattern. Possible chemical injury from yard/landscape spray drift. Check with yard se

Ligustrum Sudden Defoliation: Leaf Spot or Root Rot

One of five ligustrums stripped of leaves in 2 days, appearing dead; others unaffected. Proper water/fertilizer maintained. Possible Causes Leaf spot fungi cause premature drop (light-dark brown spots with yellow border

Holly Bush Sooty Mold and Scale/Aphid Infestation

Two nearby holly bushes show white spots (mold-like) and lower branches turning dark green to black. Diagnosis Black coating is sooty mold on honeydew from aphids or scale. Test: sticky leaves? White spots move (aphids)