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Korean fir 'Aurea'
Abies koreana 'Aurea'
Korean fir 'Aurea' is distinct from other Abies koreana plants for its bright yellow needles. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the golden color of its foliage. Gardeners love this small tree for its color, particularly when purple cones appear among the yellow foliage.
Hardiness Zones
5 to 8
Care Guide for Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Watering Care
Drought-tolerant. Allow the soil to dry completely between watering.
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Korean fir 'Aurea'
Water
Every week
Sunlight
Full sun
Hardiness Zones
5 to 8
Key Facts About Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Attributes of Korean fir 'Aurea'
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Tree, Shrub
Plant Height
6 m to 8 m
Spread
3 m to 4.5 m
Leaf Color
Yellow
Green
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
5 - 32 ℃
Scientific Classification of Korean fir 'Aurea'
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Common Pests & Diseases About Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Common issues for Korean fir 'Aurea' based on 10 million real cases
Longhorn beetles
The longhorn beetle is a medium- to large-sized insect with very long antennae and strong jaws. Both its adult and larval stages gnaw on tree trunks, leaving small, round holes.
Solutions: Some longhorn beetles species are native insects, and they cause little damage. Therefore, these don't warrant control. Other longhorn beetles species are invasive pests that were recently introduced from other areas. These species can cause a great deal of damage to hardwood trees. Apply an insecticide containing imidacloprid as a soil injection or trunk injection following product instructions. This will enter into new grow and kill adults who feed on foliage. This will not help save trees that are already infested with large amounts of larvae, but it will save trees located near an infested tree. Contact an arborist for best control practices regarding infected trees. To properly control longhorn beetles, all host plants in a given area must be treated. Contact a local extension agent or state agency. Tracking the spread of longhorn beetles is a key component of their control.
Branch blight
Branch blight can cause lignified branches to dry up entirely and die.
Solutions: Inspect trees frequently, and remove any infected branches as soon as possible. Branch blight cannot be cured, so the only treatment is to prune the tree and monitor it carefully for signs of the disease. All affected parts of the tree should be removed, since blight can survive over the winter inside the plant’s tissues. Blight can become systemic in the tree, in which case the entire plant should be removed so it does not remain a host for the pathogen and allow it to spread.
Dieback
There are several possible causes for dieback.
Solutions: There are a few things to try when dieback becomes apparent: Fertilize and water the plants - these two steps, along with judicious pruning, can help reduce the stress on the root system and encourage renewed vigor Have an arborist check to see if plant roots are girdling Test soil pH and adjust accordingly Remove and destroy infected twigs and branches
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Solutions: Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay. When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options: Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew) Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
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Longhorn beetles
The longhorn beetle is a medium- to large-sized insect with very long antennae and strong jaws. Both its adult and larval stages gnaw on tree trunks, leaving small, round holes.
Overview
Longhorn beetles are characterized by extremely long antennae which are often as long as, or longer, than the beetle's body. Adult longhorn beetles vary in size, shape, and coloration, depending upon the species. They may be 6 to 76 mm long. The larvae are worm-like with a wrinkled, white to yellowish body and a brown head.
Longhorn beetles are active throughout the year, but adults are most active in the summer and fall. Larvae feed on wood throughout the year.
Both larvae and adults feed on woody tissue. Some of the most susceptible species include ash, birch, elm, poplar, and willow.
If left untreated, longhorn beetles can kill trees.
Symptom Analysis
Longhorn beetles are attracted to wounded, dying, or freshly-cut hardwood trees. Adults lay their eggs in the spring, summer, and fall on the bark of greenwood. There may be sap around egg-laying sites.
Once the eggs hatch, larvae called round-headed borers burrow into the trunk to feed. They may tunnel for one to three years depending on the wood's nutritional content. As the larvae feed, they release sawdust-like frass at the base of the tree.
Eventually, the larvae turn into pupae and then adults. When the adults emerge, they leave 1 cm holes in the bark on their way out. Adults feed on leaves, bark, and shoots of trees before laying eggs.
After a few years of being fed upon by longhorn beetles, a tree will begin losing leaves. Eventually, it will die.
Solutions
Some longhorn beetles species are native insects, and they cause little damage. Therefore, these don't warrant control.
Other longhorn beetles species are invasive pests that were recently introduced from other areas. These species can cause a great deal of damage to hardwood trees.
- Apply an insecticide containing imidacloprid as a soil injection or trunk injection following product instructions. This will enter into new grow and kill adults who feed on foliage. This will not help save trees that are already infested with large amounts of larvae, but it will save trees located near an infested tree.
- Contact an arborist for best control practices regarding infected trees.
- To properly control longhorn beetles, all host plants in a given area must be treated.
- Contact a local extension agent or state agency. Tracking the spread of longhorn beetles is a key component of their control.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
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Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Branch blight
Branch blight can cause lignified branches to dry up entirely and die.
Overview
"Blight" is an umbrella term used to describe a category of tree diseases caused by fungus or bacteria. Branch blight occurs when fungus attacks the branches and twigs of a tree, resulting in branches slowly dying off.
Branch blight can affect most species of trees to some degree, and it may be called by different names including twig blight or stem blight. It is caused by a variety of fungi which attack branches first, especially immature growth.
Blight usually occurs in warm, humid conditions, so is most common in the spring and summer months. Because specific environmental conditions are required, the frequency of branch blight can vary from year to year. This makes the disease hard to control, as it can spread between trees and affect multiple plants in a short period of time.
In the worst-case scenario, trees can lose significant portions of their foliage and fail to produce fruit. Young or unhealthy trees could die off completely.
Symptom Analysis
The first symptoms of branch blight are that the emerging foliage turns brown or gray at the tips, especially on the smallest branches. Brown spots cover the entire surface of the leaves, eventually causing leaves and stems to shrivel and fall off. Over time, the dying tissue will spread toward the center of the plant. If left untreated, spores from the attacking fungus may appear on dying foliage within 3-4 weeks of the infection.
In some cases, lesions may form at the spot where the twig branches off from the healthy tissue. Branches may display girdling, which is a band of damaged tissue encircling the branch. An untreated tree will eventually lose all of its foliage and die.
Disease Cause
- Pathogens on young twigs and foliage cause disease
- Stressed and unhealthy trees are more susceptible - root injury due to physical or insect damage, infection, or aging can prevent adequate absorption of water and nutrients
- Extremely wet conditions including sprinkler watering can attract fungus
- Fungi can be transmitted between nearby trees
Continue reading in our app - it's better
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Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Dieback
There are several possible causes for dieback.
Overview
Dealing with dieback in plants can be tricky, in part because this is both the name of a disease itself and a common symptom of many other types of diseases. Dieback can be characterized by the progressive, gradual death of shoots, twigs, roots, and branches, generally starting first at the tips.
In many cases, dieback is caused by fungi or bacteria. These pathogens can produce cankers, wilts, stem or root rots, and even anthracnose, but the most common symptom, of course, is that various plant parts (or the entire plant) will begin to die back.
Symptom Analysis
The symptoms of dieback can be gradual or slightly more abrupt. Usually, however, they are slow in developing and tend to be uniform among the various parts of a plant.
Some plants may have more localized symptoms, with all twigs affected or all branches affected but not the rest of the plant. Some potential symptoms include:
- Dead or dying branches and twigs
- Dieback that starts in the top of a plant and progresses downward (though it can start lower, especially for conifers)
- A delayed flush of growth in the spring
- Leaf margins become scorched
- Pale green or yellow leaves
- Leaves that are small or otherwise distorted
- Early leaf drop
- Reduced growth of twigs and stems
- Thinning of crown foliage
- Production of suckers on trunk and branches
- Premature fall coloration (in tree species like birch, sweetgum, maple, oak, ash, etc)
The symptoms of dieback can occur within just one season or become worse each and every year.
Disease Cause
There are several types of dieback, each of which has a different cause with which it is associated.
"dieback" as a standalone issue, including the condition known as Staghead, is caused by fungal or bacterial infections. Staghead is a slow dieback that occurs on the upper branches of a tree, named as such because the dead limbs look much like the head of a stag.
Other causes of dieback symptoms include:
- Cankers or wilts
- Stem or root rots
- Nematodes
- Stem or root boring insects
- Pavement being placed over root systems
- Winter injury from cold
- Salt damage
- Lack of moisture (or excess of moisture)
- Lack of an essential nutrient or element
Trees and shrubs that are attacked by insects, exposed to extremely high or low temperatures, or experience severe and frequent fluctuations in soil moisture are the most likely to suffer from dieback. These stress factors alone or in combination with each other can reduce leaf and shoot growth, and progress into death of twigs and branches.
Although any of these issues can lead to dieback, the most serious consequences tend to occur when the roots of a plant are damaged. Similarly, trees and shrubs that are planted improperly or in unfavorable locations are more likely to develop this condition.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Overview
Tiny, bumpy growths all over the stem of a plant is a classic sign of scale insects. These sucking insects bury their mouthparts into the leaves, fruit, or bark of trees, shrubs, and other plants. Over time, scale insects can severely damage their hosts.
Scale insects are not just one species of insects but instead are a large, diverse group of more than 8,000 individual species, including soft scales (brown soft scale, cottony maple scale, European elm scale) and armored scales (oystershell scale, euonymus scale, San Jose scale). These tiny pests may be between 3 to 10 mm in length and are closely related to whiteflies and aphids.
Despite the differences in size and appearance, the one thing that all scale insects have in common is that they grow beneath a wax covering. This covering looks somewhat like the scales of a fish or a reptile - hence the name. It protects the insect from harm.
Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants but are most common on herbaceous ornamental plants (both indoor and outdoor) as well as numerous species of shrubs and trees. Scale insects are easy to overlook, in part because they are so small and also because they do not look like actual insects. However, it is important to take action as soon as they are noticed to ensure the health of the plants.
Symptom Analysis
The most obvious symptom is the presence of groups of the insects themselves, which look much like bumpy growths on plants, generally quite small (less than the size of a coin). Scale insects tend to cluster together and appear all at once.
The insects hatch from eggs inside these scales and develop through two growth stages before becoming adults. Once mature, adult females produce eggs that they hide beneath their bodies. These ultimately hatch into tiny crawlers, which are yellow to orange, and begin feeding within just a day or two. They suck sap through their needle-like mouthparts and will excrete a substance called honeydew behind them as they eat.
Since the scale insectss are subtle in appearance, symptoms in the host plants may be the first sign that is noticed. As the insects eat all the plant's nutrients, leaves will drop prematurely, and the growth of plants becomes stunted. Dead or browned leaves might remain for a long period of time on the scale-killed branches.
Sooty mold can also appear on infested plants, growing in the honeydew that the insects leave behind. It is a black fungus that is fluffy and unattractive. The sooty mold growth causes plants to yellow, since it interferes with the process of photosynthesis.
Solutions
Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay.
When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options:
- Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale
- Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew)
- Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations
- Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants
- Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
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About
Care Guide
More Info
Pests & Diseases
Korean fir 'Aurea'
Abies koreana 'Aurea'
Korean fir 'Aurea' is distinct from other Abies koreana plants for its bright yellow needles. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the golden color of its foliage. Gardeners love this small tree for its color, particularly when purple cones appear among the yellow foliage.
Hardiness Zones
5 to 8
Care Guide for Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Watering Care
Drought-tolerant. Allow the soil to dry completely between watering.
Fertilizing Care
Fertilization once in spring.
Pruning
Trim the dead, diseased, overgrown branches in winter.
Soil Care
Sand, Loam, Clay
Ideal Lighting
Full sun, Partial sun
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Key Facts About Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Attributes of Korean fir 'Aurea'
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Tree, Shrub
Plant Height
6 m to 8 m
Spread
3 m to 4.5 m
Leaf Color
Yellow
Green
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
5 - 32 ℃
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Scientific Classification of Korean fir 'Aurea'
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Common Pests & Diseases About Korean fir 'Aurea'
Feedback
Common issues for Korean fir 'Aurea' based on 10 million real cases
Longhorn beetles
The longhorn beetle is a medium- to large-sized insect with very long antennae and strong jaws. Both its adult and larval stages gnaw on tree trunks, leaving small, round holes.
Solutions: Some longhorn beetles species are native insects, and they cause little damage. Therefore, these don't warrant control. Other longhorn beetles species are invasive pests that were recently introduced from other areas. These species can cause a great deal of damage to hardwood trees. Apply an insecticide containing imidacloprid as a soil injection or trunk injection following product instructions. This will enter into new grow and kill adults who feed on foliage. This will not help save trees that are already infested with large amounts of larvae, but it will save trees located near an infested tree. Contact an arborist for best control practices regarding infected trees. To properly control longhorn beetles, all host plants in a given area must be treated. Contact a local extension agent or state agency. Tracking the spread of longhorn beetles is a key component of their control.
Learn More About the Longhorn beetles ![more]()
Branch blight
Branch blight can cause lignified branches to dry up entirely and die.
Solutions: Inspect trees frequently, and remove any infected branches as soon as possible. Branch blight cannot be cured, so the only treatment is to prune the tree and monitor it carefully for signs of the disease. All affected parts of the tree should be removed, since blight can survive over the winter inside the plant’s tissues. Blight can become systemic in the tree, in which case the entire plant should be removed so it does not remain a host for the pathogen and allow it to spread.
Learn More About the Branch blight ![more]()
Dieback
There are several possible causes for dieback.
Solutions: There are a few things to try when dieback becomes apparent: Fertilize and water the plants - these two steps, along with judicious pruning, can help reduce the stress on the root system and encourage renewed vigor Have an arborist check to see if plant roots are girdling Test soil pH and adjust accordingly Remove and destroy infected twigs and branches
Learn More About the Dieback ![more]()
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Solutions: Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay. When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options: Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew) Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Learn More About the Scale insects ![more]()
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App
Longhorn beetles
The longhorn beetle is a medium- to large-sized insect with very long antennae and strong jaws. Both its adult and larval stages gnaw on tree trunks, leaving small, round holes.
Overview
Longhorn beetles are characterized by extremely long antennae which are often as long as, or longer, than the beetle's body. Adult longhorn beetles vary in size, shape, and coloration, depending upon the species. They may be 6 to 76 mm long. The larvae are worm-like with a wrinkled, white to yellowish body and a brown head.
Longhorn beetles are active throughout the year, but adults are most active in the summer and fall. Larvae feed on wood throughout the year.
Both larvae and adults feed on woody tissue. Some of the most susceptible species include ash, birch, elm, poplar, and willow.
If left untreated, longhorn beetles can kill trees.
Symptom Analysis
Longhorn beetles are attracted to wounded, dying, or freshly-cut hardwood trees. Adults lay their eggs in the spring, summer, and fall on the bark of greenwood. There may be sap around egg-laying sites.
Once the eggs hatch, larvae called round-headed borers burrow into the trunk to feed. They may tunnel for one to three years depending on the wood's nutritional content. As the larvae feed, they release sawdust-like frass at the base of the tree.
Eventually, the larvae turn into pupae and then adults. When the adults emerge, they leave 1 cm holes in the bark on their way out. Adults feed on leaves, bark, and shoots of trees before laying eggs.
After a few years of being fed upon by longhorn beetles, a tree will begin losing leaves. Eventually, it will die.
Solutions
Some longhorn beetles species are native insects, and they cause little damage. Therefore, these don't warrant control.
Other longhorn beetles species are invasive pests that were recently introduced from other areas. These species can cause a great deal of damage to hardwood trees.
- Apply an insecticide containing imidacloprid as a soil injection or trunk injection following product instructions. This will enter into new grow and kill adults who feed on foliage. This will not help save trees that are already infested with large amounts of larvae, but it will save trees located near an infested tree.
- Contact an arborist for best control practices regarding infected trees.
- To properly control longhorn beetles, all host plants in a given area must be treated.
- Contact a local extension agent or state agency. Tracking the spread of longhorn beetles is a key component of their control.
Prevention
- Keeping trees healthy, uninjured, and unstressed will help prevent beetle infestation. Water trees appropriately, giving neither too much nor too little.
- Check with local tree companies about which tree species have fewer problems.
- Avoid moving firewood as this can introduce exotic longhorn beetles.
- Routine spraying of persistent, broad-spectrum insecticides will help prevent re-infestation of previously affected trees or infestation of unaffected trees.
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unlimited guides at your fingertips...
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Branch blight
Branch blight can cause lignified branches to dry up entirely and die.
Overview
"Blight" is an umbrella term used to describe a category of tree diseases caused by fungus or bacteria. Branch blight occurs when fungus attacks the branches and twigs of a tree, resulting in branches slowly dying off.
Branch blight can affect most species of trees to some degree, and it may be called by different names including twig blight or stem blight. It is caused by a variety of fungi which attack branches first, especially immature growth.
Blight usually occurs in warm, humid conditions, so is most common in the spring and summer months. Because specific environmental conditions are required, the frequency of branch blight can vary from year to year. This makes the disease hard to control, as it can spread between trees and affect multiple plants in a short period of time.
In the worst-case scenario, trees can lose significant portions of their foliage and fail to produce fruit. Young or unhealthy trees could die off completely.
Symptom Analysis
The first symptoms of branch blight are that the emerging foliage turns brown or gray at the tips, especially on the smallest branches. Brown spots cover the entire surface of the leaves, eventually causing leaves and stems to shrivel and fall off. Over time, the dying tissue will spread toward the center of the plant. If left untreated, spores from the attacking fungus may appear on dying foliage within 3-4 weeks of the infection.
In some cases, lesions may form at the spot where the twig branches off from the healthy tissue. Branches may display girdling, which is a band of damaged tissue encircling the branch. An untreated tree will eventually lose all of its foliage and die.
Disease Cause
- Pathogens on young twigs and foliage cause disease
- Stressed and unhealthy trees are more susceptible - root injury due to physical or insect damage, infection, or aging can prevent adequate absorption of water and nutrients
- Extremely wet conditions including sprinkler watering can attract fungus
- Fungi can be transmitted between nearby trees
Solutions
- Inspect trees frequently, and remove any infected branches as soon as possible. Branch blight cannot be cured, so the only treatment is to prune the tree and monitor it carefully for signs of the disease.
- All affected parts of the tree should be removed, since blight can survive over the winter inside the plant’s tissues.
- Blight can become systemic in the tree, in which case the entire plant should be removed so it does not remain a host for the pathogen and allow it to spread.
Prevention
- Avoid purchasing trees with dead or dying growth.
- Sterilize cutting tools frequently when pruning to avoid spreading fungus between plants.
- Keep trees mulched and watered, especially during dry periods, to prevent stress.
- Avoid splashing water on the leaves when watering, as wet foliage is attractive to fungi and bacteria.
- When planting, allow enough room between trees that there will be sufficient air circulation for them to dry out. Crowding trees too close together can increase humidity and allow the fungi to transfer.
- When conditions are wet and humid, a fungicide can be used on new growth.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Dieback
There are several possible causes for dieback.
Overview
Dealing with dieback in plants can be tricky, in part because this is both the name of a disease itself and a common symptom of many other types of diseases. Dieback can be characterized by the progressive, gradual death of shoots, twigs, roots, and branches, generally starting first at the tips.
In many cases, dieback is caused by fungi or bacteria. These pathogens can produce cankers, wilts, stem or root rots, and even anthracnose, but the most common symptom, of course, is that various plant parts (or the entire plant) will begin to die back.
Symptom Analysis
The symptoms of dieback can be gradual or slightly more abrupt. Usually, however, they are slow in developing and tend to be uniform among the various parts of a plant.
Some plants may have more localized symptoms, with all twigs affected or all branches affected but not the rest of the plant. Some potential symptoms include:
- Dead or dying branches and twigs
- Dieback that starts in the top of a plant and progresses downward (though it can start lower, especially for conifers)
- A delayed flush of growth in the spring
- Leaf margins become scorched
- Pale green or yellow leaves
- Leaves that are small or otherwise distorted
- Early leaf drop
- Reduced growth of twigs and stems
- Thinning of crown foliage
- Production of suckers on trunk and branches
- Premature fall coloration (in tree species like birch, sweetgum, maple, oak, ash, etc)
The symptoms of dieback can occur within just one season or become worse each and every year.
Disease Cause
There are several types of dieback, each of which has a different cause with which it is associated.
"dieback" as a standalone issue, including the condition known as Staghead, is caused by fungal or bacterial infections. Staghead is a slow dieback that occurs on the upper branches of a tree, named as such because the dead limbs look much like the head of a stag.
Other causes of dieback symptoms include:
- Cankers or wilts
- Stem or root rots
- Nematodes
- Stem or root boring insects
- Pavement being placed over root systems
- Winter injury from cold
- Salt damage
- Lack of moisture (or excess of moisture)
- Lack of an essential nutrient or element
Trees and shrubs that are attacked by insects, exposed to extremely high or low temperatures, or experience severe and frequent fluctuations in soil moisture are the most likely to suffer from dieback. These stress factors alone or in combination with each other can reduce leaf and shoot growth, and progress into death of twigs and branches.
Although any of these issues can lead to dieback, the most serious consequences tend to occur when the roots of a plant are damaged. Similarly, trees and shrubs that are planted improperly or in unfavorable locations are more likely to develop this condition.
Solutions
There are a few things to try when dieback becomes apparent:
- Fertilize and water the plants - these two steps, along with judicious pruning, can help reduce the stress on the root system and encourage renewed vigor
- Have an arborist check to see if plant roots are girdling
- Test soil pH and adjust accordingly
- Remove and destroy infected twigs and branches
Prevention
The best way to prevent dieback is to match the plant to the site. Make sure the conditions provided for a new planting match its needs.
- Plant properly in deep, fertile well-draining soil
- Make sure plant roots won’t be confined when the plant reaches its mature size
- Avoid changes to the growing site
- If soil compaction might be an issue, apply a few inches of wood chips and eliminate traffic over the root area
- Fertilize and water appropriately
It is also important to avoid potential infection with pathogens that can cause dieback:
- Avoid binding or wounding the roots and trunk whenever possible
- Avoid excessive pruning
- Disinfect all tools before working with plants to reduce the spread of disease
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Overview
Tiny, bumpy growths all over the stem of a plant is a classic sign of scale insects. These sucking insects bury their mouthparts into the leaves, fruit, or bark of trees, shrubs, and other plants. Over time, scale insects can severely damage their hosts.
Scale insects are not just one species of insects but instead are a large, diverse group of more than 8,000 individual species, including soft scales (brown soft scale, cottony maple scale, European elm scale) and armored scales (oystershell scale, euonymus scale, San Jose scale). These tiny pests may be between 3 to 10 mm in length and are closely related to whiteflies and aphids.
Despite the differences in size and appearance, the one thing that all scale insects have in common is that they grow beneath a wax covering. This covering looks somewhat like the scales of a fish or a reptile - hence the name. It protects the insect from harm.
Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants but are most common on herbaceous ornamental plants (both indoor and outdoor) as well as numerous species of shrubs and trees. Scale insects are easy to overlook, in part because they are so small and also because they do not look like actual insects. However, it is important to take action as soon as they are noticed to ensure the health of the plants.
Symptom Analysis
The most obvious symptom is the presence of groups of the insects themselves, which look much like bumpy growths on plants, generally quite small (less than the size of a coin). Scale insects tend to cluster together and appear all at once.
The insects hatch from eggs inside these scales and develop through two growth stages before becoming adults. Once mature, adult females produce eggs that they hide beneath their bodies. These ultimately hatch into tiny crawlers, which are yellow to orange, and begin feeding within just a day or two. They suck sap through their needle-like mouthparts and will excrete a substance called honeydew behind them as they eat.
Since the scale insectss are subtle in appearance, symptoms in the host plants may be the first sign that is noticed. As the insects eat all the plant's nutrients, leaves will drop prematurely, and the growth of plants becomes stunted. Dead or browned leaves might remain for a long period of time on the scale-killed branches.
Sooty mold can also appear on infested plants, growing in the honeydew that the insects leave behind. It is a black fungus that is fluffy and unattractive. The sooty mold growth causes plants to yellow, since it interferes with the process of photosynthesis.
Solutions
Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay.
When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options:
- Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale
- Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew)
- Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations
- Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants
- Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Prevention
To prevent scale insects from affecting plants, take the following steps:
- Carefully inspect plants before purchasing, checking every stem and leaf for signs of scale
- Make traps for new insects by leaving double-sided tape near stems and branches
- Ensure that plants have a good growing environment, monitoring both moisture and sunlight levels
- Introduce small parasitic wasps and other predators to the garden
- Rinse small plants when foliage becomes dusty
- Prune weak areas of a plant to eliminate potential infestation hot spots
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