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Rose disease #870203

Asked May 26, 2024, 7:09 PM EDT

My knockout rose has some stems with brown spots, and the leaves have areas that are tan and translucent. There is also a webbing on some of the buds that seems to contain little black insects (aphids?) No other plants adjacent to this rose are affected. I have another knockout rose and a climbing rose just a few feet away, and those are not affected either. Thank you

Kent County Michigan

Expert Response

Hello Lynne

The webbing could be from a couple different insects. It looks like some sort of webworm caterpillar nest. You need to pull the web apart and try to spot which caterpillar is inside. Fine webbing can also be made by spider mites, which need a magnifying lens to see clearly.

Despite its name, fall webworm is active right now. Control for spider mites is different than control for webworms, so it is important you see which is present on your shrub. From what I can see it appears to be a caterpillar( bud and leaves appear to be eaten).

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/fall-webworm-hyphantrea-cunea/

https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/fact-sheet/rose-spider-mites/

The brown ‘windowing’ on leaves is from feeding by the larvae of rose slug sawflies. The larvae are often on the backs of the leaves.

Here are management options for rose slug sawflies:

https://blogs.k-state.edu/kansasbugs/2022/06/10/rose-sawflies-3/

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/roseslug-sawfly/

Here are some more photos of the pests. The mites will need magnification to be seen clearly.

https://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/treepestguide/rose.html


The damage on the canes may be winter injury or canker. You may prune back to a healthy bud although, if the stem holds many flower buds, you might wait until they open, prune then and keep the flowers in vases to enjoy.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/canker-roses-shrubs-and-vines/

https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/annualperennial/roses/stemsdying.html

Thank you for your question! Replied May 26, 2024, 7:59 PM EDT

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