Sick Hydragea - Ask Extension
Sick Hydragea
Problem occurs mid- summer annually.
New growth not affected as much as the older leaves.
No visual pests seen.
Any recommendati...
Knowledgebase
Sick Hydragea #878873
Asked July 26, 2024, 11:12 AM EDT
Sick Hydragea
Problem occurs mid- summer annually.
New growth not affected as much as the older leaves.
No visual pests seen.
Any recommendations.
Plant is about 25-30 years old
Livingston County Michigan
Expert Response
There are at least a couple of common things that can cause the symptom that is shown in your photos. There are insects that feed at night, that chew holes in that pattern on our plants in the landscape. There could also be a disease affecting them. A common called disease called Cercospora caused leaf spots that can become brown and dry with age. When the leaf spots coalesce and the dry sections fall away, it can create the pattern that is shown in your photos. Cercospora is favored by moisture, especially droplets of moisture on the foliage. Try to avoid wetting the foliage of the plants while watering. Fungicides can be used to lessen the severity of the disease, but they must be used before symptoms begin. Cercospora cannot be cured by the use of fungicides. This year, it might help to remove the most affected leaves and burn them or send them to the landfill.
What can be done about night feeding insects? Most of my hosts every year, and this year, all of my elephant ears have holes in them as well. Very disheartening. Can seeing garden dust help?
To manage night-feeding insects, it is really important to identify them first, so that an effective approach can be taken. This article from MSU Extension might help: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what-bug-chewed-on-my-plants-last-night
If the insects attacking your plants are beetles (order Coleoptera), then an insecticide containing the active ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae, is an option that will pose less of a threat to pollinators and other beneficial insects. If you choose to use any insecticide, read the product label carefully to ensure that you are applying it in compliance with the label directions. Many insecticides labelled for use on ornamental plants are toxic to bees and other pollinators and they should not be used on blooming plants.
If the insects attacking your plants are beetles (order Coleoptera), then an insecticide containing the active ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae, is an option that will pose less of a threat to pollinators and other beneficial insects. If you choose to use any insecticide, read the product label carefully to ensure that you are applying it in compliance with the label directions. Many insecticides labelled for use on ornamental plants are toxic to bees and other pollinators and they should not be used on blooming plants.