Japonica white things

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Timothy, Aug 13, 2013.

  1. Timothy

    Timothy Member

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    Hello fellow plant lovers,

    I decided to trim my Japonica today. In other years it has had an unsightly black coating which I have been able to spray off with a high powered hose. What i discovered after cutting it back is that it has a strange growth on the underside of the leaves. Here's a low rez photo that I took with my iPhone. If anyone can tell me if I should be concerned then please let me know. Many thanks in advance. Timothy
     

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  2. ian66

    ian66 Active Member

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    Looks like Cotton scale .....and the black coating you washed off was probably sooty mold, a result of the sugary deposits that these scales produce which encourages the growth of this mold.....
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Shrub is Pieris japonica, which you should specify in future if you want to be clear - other common examples are Aucuba japonica, Fatsia japonica and Skimmia japonica. And that's just a set of popular broad-leaved evergreen shrubs that grow in shade (including the Pieris). There are also various other popular plants that have the specific epithet "japonica".
     
  4. Timothy

    Timothy Member

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    Thank you ian66 & Ron B. Sorry for being so unspecific about what kind of Japonica it is but the shrub was in our yard when we moved in several years ago so I don't have a tag telling me which kind it is nor did I know how many kinds there are. I'm better informed now. We do appreciate your prompt replies.
     

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