I think one of our bushes is a lost cause. White scale?

[Rajah]

About two weeks ago, we noticed that one of the bushes by our garage had white stuff on it, almost like salt buildup. We tried treating it with both soapy water and bug spray, but neither have had an effect. The plant is down to just about 4 leaves that aren't brown, and no, I have no idea what type of bush it is. :/ We *think* it has white scale (and are pretty sure it also has/had aphids because I found ladybugs on it when I sprayed the soapy water. Soapy water was what our garden center recommended). Any other suggestions, or is it a lost cause if it's down to so few green leaves?

 

[Snowwark]

I really don't know if you'll be able to save it, Rajah. We've had a terrible time with our euonymus the last 2 seasons, and have been treating the scale problem with dormant oil sprays. You may want to try that, and hopefully it will recover, although maybe not until next year.

Dormant Oil Spraying

Any other suggestions for Rajah, Buds?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I would suggest a ceremony such as this one for a tree that has just been diagnosed with a fatal disease

 

[Snowwark]

You want her to shoot it???!!!

 

[olena]

I'd love those guys in my yard. They could shoot all the wasps they wanted!


I'm sorry about your bush, Rajah. If you lived near me, I'd give a dark purple butterfly bush to replace it. I've rooted a bunch to give away.

 

[Snowwark]

What a nice idea, Heather....the second paragraph I mean....

 

[olena]

Well, they just started sprouting up under my butterfly bush, so I dug them up and potted them. I've mostly been giving them away as tokens of appreciation, etc.

If any of y'all come visit, you can have one, too...




Rajah, the garden center couldn't identify the bush for you? Does it bloom? Are there any others in the yard that may be succeptible as well?

 

[Tulirose]

I had my laugh for the night. You guys are too funny!

Sorry about the bush Rajah.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

if they were arrested for shooting it would that be bushicide?

 

[Tulirose]

That's a groaner. You should have quit while you were ahead!

 

[Rajah]

Thanks all. Some of your answers are making me LOL!!

I've given up on that one. It was too far gone by the time we found out what was wrong with it. It's all brown now, and it's too hot outside to be worth fighting it. When it cools down, we'll replace it. With what, I don't know, but we'll replace it with something. We'll *try* to find the same thing at the garden center.

As for identifying it -- I've tried at the garden center before with little luck. I found a couple that may have been it, but I forget what they are now. No use there. And the people in the garden centers around here.... eh. I've *occasionally* found someone friendly, but most of the time I'm lucky if they speak to me, luckier if they speak English, and even luckier if they know even half their plants.

We do have similar plants, about 7 of them actually, around our garden. However, this was lucky -- the one we lost to white scale is by itself. We have/had two plants flanking our garage door. One is in the bed that wraps around the edge of the garage and goes to our front door. The other was nothing more than a small bed just large enough for the one plant. *That* was the plant that we lost. So it's at least 20 feet from the nearest plant, and all the others are doing well.

It did flower very briefly this spring with little white flowers about 1/4" across, maybe just a little bigger. Otherwise it's all green, but in the fall the green leaves get a little bit of a red tint to them. They're actually very pretty.

Olena -- I wish! I'd love a butterfly bush! 'Course, I'd probly kill it. The only things that are obviously thriving in our garden are those planted by the builder.

 

[olena]

Maybe you could try rooting one of the plants that weren't affected. It's worth a shot.

 

[Snowwark]

Good idea, Olena!

Rajah, did the builders do some landscaping, or are you referring to brick and mortar?

 

[Rajah]

Good idea olena.

Um.

How?

Snowwark -- yes, our house came fully landscaped. Sod in both front and back, one tree in back (oak), and full flower beds in front (flower beds planted with plants that stay green most of the year but have a little bit of flower in the spring, and a little color in the fall, then some grass-type plants, and one big bush), and two trees in front.