White spots on bark

Discussion in 'Maples' started by kgeezy20, Mar 4, 2022.

  1. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Hey everyone. Just went and examined a few of my maples up close for the first time since fall, and I noticed these weird white spots whit darkish centers all over the bark on a few of them. I tried scratching them off, and turns I can. Any idea what it is?
     

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  2. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    Looks like white scale to me Kyle.

    D
     
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  3. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Ahh, thanks D. Do you know how to deal with it?
     
  4. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    Hi Kyle. I use a soft tooth brush and remove that way. It is a bit of a chore but does the trick.

    D
     
  5. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Scales.
    In february/march white one’s are probably dead and easy to remove; brown shelled one’s are alive.
    But invisible eggs are ready for a new heavy infestation in spring/summer/autumn.
    It is a serious pest difficult to control along the year.
    You can try a soluble oil, dilute in water and paint with a brush.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2022
  6. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    What sort of soluble oil?
     
  7. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    I use Vaseline ‘solubilised’ oil (said emulsionable vaseline oil ); commercial name APHASIS EV from BHS in Europe
    Dilution: 20 ml for 1 litre water.
    You can pray woods or paint them with a brush. You can use it all the year.

    Exists also colza oil (rapeseed oil). Same dilution.

    Solubilised oils are effective against scales, mealybugs, aphids, must mite. You can use it on leaves.
    In winter it is used against eggs of all insects.
    Against aphids, i think it is best than diluted soap.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2022
  8. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Would a copper spray do anything?
     
  9. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Nothing at all !
     
  10. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Does anyone know of a supplier of the emulsionable Vaseline oil in the states?
     
  11. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    What if I just put normal Vaseline on them?
     
  12. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    There will be some horticultural oils on the market in the USA, and they will likely be as effective. They are all variations of the same thing, oil, water and an emulsifier.
    Summer Oil, Dormant Oil, Horticultural Oil—What's the Difference?
     
  13. 0soyoung

    0soyoung Rising Contributor

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    I get prepared NEEM oil (just out a tablespoon in a quart of water and spray) at my local hardware store. It does the job for most every insect pest I've had including several kinds of scale (though this is the first time I've seen anything like this whatever-it-is).
     
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  14. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Got it. Yeah, I wasn’t familiar with it, but some of my maples have it really bad. I actually think it may have killed my ‘Autumn Moon’ I grafted a few years ago. Has it all over and only a Bud or two looks like their may be any life left.
     
  15. Connor Sullivan

    Connor Sullivan Well-Known Member

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    Is this White Scale too?

    I live in the states in Oregon so NEEM oil is readily available because of all the marijuana growers here, can I just spray the spots with NEEM oil after using a toothbrush to wipe them off?

    Thanks everyone!
     

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  16. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Often branches are so weakened that they don’t grow at all, it is a pitty.

    I am happy you find ‘’horticultural oil’’, the light summer one . @maf. Thanks.
    You have to mix in water, the dilution is on the package/ box.
    The best you have to do is to paint the trunc and branches with a brush, without forgetting the underside of the branches .
    It will be useful to start again 1/2 an hour after and also in a week. After that, your trees can stay under rain
    It is possible that a few eggs (invisible) escape the 1st treatment, start again in may/june.

    Selled scales are a very résistant pest, reinfestations are commons in autumn/winter, particularly in greenhouses.
    When they are alive they are very difficult to see, hou have to look at with yours best reading glasses.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2022
  17. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Fortunatly i don’t see any shelled scales on yours photos.
    The white dots are part of the bark of young’s cultivars.

    But the 3rd photo shows a wood in poor condition over a few centimeters .
     
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  18. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    Hi Connor, I agree with P @opusoculi. Do keep an eye on that branch in 3rd photo.
     
  19. opusoculi

    opusoculi Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Neem oil is not sufficient to eliminate scales and their eggs; that is my experience.

    --When you use a toothbrush to wipe off scales, you wipe off the dead one’s but the alive one’s stays.
    --Horticultural soluble oil coats their shells, so they can’t breath.
    --But they can lift themselves up and breathe throught their stomach.
    Half an hour after a first application of soluble horticultural oil, a second application will produce the best result.
     
  20. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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  21. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    I doubt this is white scale. I may be wrong.

    but if what you showed in pic #3 is a consequence of the rest, to me it's more like a kind of fungus : the white dots seem to be aligned, as if they followed the veins of sap. Not sure that scales would behave like that. And on all my maples, I've rarely, if never, had scales, white, or any other colour. So perhaps my experience it much too limited to put a diagnosis. But I would opt for a fungal disease and use the "magic treatment" : copper-based fungicide...
     
  22. kgeezy20

    kgeezy20 Active Member Maple Society

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    Well, guess I’ll be returning that NEEM oil today lol
     
  23. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    Don't !

    First, I tried to use the conditional tense and words like "perhaps" and "seem to"... ;-)

    Secondly : Neem oil is a very efficient preventive treatment for trees that can have scales, mainly conifers (but also Fagus sylvatica) : I have several that had scales, It appears I got rid of them, but I'll use neem oil when the buds break so they won't be back.

    Anyway, Neem oil will prevent, not cure attacks of scales.
     
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