DFW evergreen shrub with lots of white sharp-ish oblong specks on top of leaves
#1
03-14-12, 09:03 AM
DFW evergreen shrub with lots of white sharp-ish oblong specks on top of leaves
I'm in the DFW, Texas area and have a 50 foot line of evergreen shrubs that have green (mixed with yellow) leaves (new growth is more yellow). They stand about 6 feet tall and I do prune their height and width back every year. They also sprout new growth from the roots.
Almost all the shrubs in the line have a white thin oblong thing, almost looking like someone sprinkled the top of the leaves with spiny salt.
The speckles seem to weaken the shrub, because I do see branch die-back where the count of the things is very high.
What can I do about these things?
Almost all the shrubs in the line have a white thin oblong thing, almost looking like someone sprinkled the top of the leaves with spiny salt.
The speckles seem to weaken the shrub, because I do see branch die-back where the count of the things is very high.
What can I do about these things?
Last edited by oldhard47; 03-14-12 at 09:43 AM. Reason: add pic
#2
03-14-12, 05:23 PM
Its hard to see the white things too clearly. Its possible they are the shedded outer casings of aphids, they moult as they grow. Have a look under the leaves and see if there are aphids there.
If you have lots of flowering plants in the garden to attract hoverflies and other predators they will deal with the aphid for you, but it will take time. If you spray, you will have to continue to spray as you will kill the predators as well. Personally I dont spray, I have some aphid......food for my good guys
As for pruning/ trimming, it depends what you want really. It also depends how fast it grows. As a loose guide you may gat away with an autumn trim, or for a more formal look cut in spring as well.
If you have lots of flowering plants in the garden to attract hoverflies and other predators they will deal with the aphid for you, but it will take time. If you spray, you will have to continue to spray as you will kill the predators as well. Personally I dont spray, I have some aphid......food for my good guys
As for pruning/ trimming, it depends what you want really. It also depends how fast it grows. As a loose guide you may gat away with an autumn trim, or for a more formal look cut in spring as well.
#3
03-14-12, 05:36 PM
I didn't see anything crawling on the bottom side of several leaves I checked. The bottom side did have more of the white speckly things. Also some bigger, elongated-raindrop-shaped (but the size of one-to-two pinheads) brown things (deposits?).
#4
03-15-12, 11:08 AM
Ooh...sounds strange, maybe you have a US bug that Im not familiar with. But just a thought here. On a warm still day.....tap the shrub, if you have whitefly they will fly like crazy if disturbed.
If its not that, then Im stumped Orchard. I hope you find your answer soon
If its not that, then Im stumped Orchard. I hope you find your answer soon
#5
03-15-12, 11:48 AM
Super Moderator
If you have any garden centers near you, why don't you take a leaf there and see if they know what it is. They'd also have a solution.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
There you go....a sensible answer at long last! Wish I'd thought of it lol 
