Bite on all stems and leaves of one plant, but not at all on a neighboring plant - Ask Extension
Pruning trees in my yard yesterday, I noticed that one bushy plant about 8 feet tall and three or 4 feet wide. Had these white dots all over the leave...
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Bite on all stems and leaves of one plant, but not at all on a neighboring plant #875906
Asked July 04, 2024, 9:50 AM EDT
Pruning trees in my yard yesterday, I noticed that one bushy plant about 8 feet tall and three or 4 feet wide. Had these white dots all over the leaves and Woody stems of the plant. A plant just to the left that looks similar but has an alternating leaf structure, and larger, darker-green colored leaves does not have any of this, even though some of their branches were intertwined (see 3rd image below). I’d like to know what the disease is and how to get rid of it. My wife has a vegetable garden across the yard about 30 feet away and we would like to make sure whatever the diseases does not transfer.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
The shrub in your photo is called Euonymus, and it has a severe infestation of Euonymus scale and some powdery mildew. Scales are a type of insect, and these are specific to this type of shrub. (It won't spread into your vegetable garden.)
A severe scale infestation like this is very difficult to control because the insects have a covering that protects them from insecticides. Euonymus rebounds very well from pruning and so the course of action we recommend in a case like this is to prune the shrub nearly to the ground and allow it to regrow new foliage. Then, monitor the plant regularly to check for scale and you can use the management options listed on our website. With the shrub being at a smaller height, it will be easier to monitor and manage (and require less in the way of pesticide treatments).
Christa
A severe scale infestation like this is very difficult to control because the insects have a covering that protects them from insecticides. Euonymus rebounds very well from pruning and so the course of action we recommend in a case like this is to prune the shrub nearly to the ground and allow it to regrow new foliage. Then, monitor the plant regularly to check for scale and you can use the management options listed on our website. With the shrub being at a smaller height, it will be easier to monitor and manage (and require less in the way of pesticide treatments).
Christa
Thank you, Christa!! I appreciate the help! The plant is on the border of our and our neighbor’s yard, so I’ll have to talk with them before such major pruning. If we end up not pruning, are there any possible long term negative consequences for the yard?
Thank you so much!
Pat
Over the long term, if the scale infestation is high and not managed, it could eventually defoliate and kill the plant. While the Euonymus scale is not a problem in a vegetable garden, it can attack other landscape plants like hibiscus, holly, honeysuckle, lilac, and pachysandra, so that is something to be aware of if you have any of those plants in the vicinity.
This page from the Missouri Botanical Garden has some good additional information.
Christa
This page from the Missouri Botanical Garden has some good additional information.
Christa
