skip to main content

Azalea & Rhododendron

Japanese Beatle Damage

18 years ago

I have an azalea that is about 7 years old. This year I have not had time to tend to my azaleas like I would have liked to due to a sick family member.

This year with the same azalea. First is was in need of Iron, which I solved that problem. The leaves looked much better after adding Iron.

My next problem came the beatles. They have nearly destroyed every leaf on the plant which is about 6ft tall. It looks terrible. It looks as if someone went all over it with a weedeater, and just snapped it to pieces.

It is the beatles though. I did have a chance to see it one day with them basically covering it. It's my most beautiful azalea as well. This is the first year they have ever attacked it like this. I don't know why.

My question is what do you suggest I do for this once beautiul azalea? Is there any hope for a beautiful azalea next year? Anything I can do for it now? What products do you suggest? What can I expect to see from this azalea next year?

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years ago
Japanese beEtles skeletonize the leaves and can certainly defoliate trees and shrubs. They don't cause stem damage, though....if that is what you meant to describe. If your plant is chopped up (which is what your description sounds like), something else was in there, too!

Plants that have had their leaves chewed up by Japanese beetles are capable of recovering. These insects leave the covered buds alone. Next year, I would expect this plant to behave in a normal fashion, as long as defoliation is the only injury.

In your area, avoid fertilization at this time of year, since that would be very counterproductive for the plant and do just the opposite of what it needs....to manufacture and conserve energy. Just keep your plant mulched and watered during the dry times and let mother nature be the doctor.

Next year, you will need to take some precautions against another major infestation.
Related Discussions
Japanese beatle sighted - netting suggestions
Q
Comments (4)
Wow!! I never heard before that the JBs would only be around for a month or less.....usually 2 months or more. Those beetles prefer certain things and tend to focus on those rather than all crops. I saw 8 of those beetles last year and mainly on a lighter colored rose blooms. If I was being indunuated by JBs, I would set up traps about 100 foot upwind of my gardens. The earlier the females can be killed, the better for next year. Milky Spore is an organic solution. I used it once in my daughter's yard and used a bit in mine. I cannot vouch for the results as she has moved away from there. Certainly the last two years here have been 10,000 percent better as I trapped 270,000 in 2003 and killed thousands more. A net would have to be pretty fine to stop them.
...See More
Help!! The attack of the Japanese Beatles
Q
Comments (19)
I would 'hope' that everyone knows what a Japanese Beetle looks like, but perhaps not. ;-) June bugs and May beetles are quite different. There is also the plain, tan colored Asiatic Beetle, another common garden pest. Japanese Beetles are smallish (but larger than ladybugs) beetles, metallic green on the head and thorax with copper colored wing coverings. They collect in large masses on their favorite foods, skeletonizing the leaf tissue. I've still not seen one in Huntsville this season, but I expect to anyday now. Here is a link that might be useful:
...See More
First Four Japanese Beatles Monday
Q
Comments (2)
Not here. We get these after the first warm spell in March, when the roses start blooming. They just love yellow and white. They compete with the termite swarms for causing misery...
...See More
Japanese Beatle invasion
Q
Comments (2)
Japanese beetles won't hurt your kids. Buy a wasp trap at the local Lowes or nursery. What you need to worry about are ticks giving your kids Lyme disease. Spray them and their shoes and clothes . Check their bodies. Have them shower after being outdoors. Forget about the other bugs.
...See More

Related Stories

TREES 11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting

ARCHITECTURE Design Workshop: How the Japanese Porch Makes a Home Feel Larger

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

The Japanese ‘engawa,’ a roofed transitional zone and social space, blurs the lines between indoors and out

TREES Great Design Plant: Coral Bark Japanese Maple, a Winter Standout

By Paintbox Garden

Go for garden gusto during the chilly season with the fiery red stems of this unusual Japanese maple

GARDENING GUIDES 13 Japanese Maples for Shade

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

A surprising variety of these understory trees is waiting to make a statement in your shade garden

BATHTUBS Room of the Day: Restorative Power of a Japanese Soaking Tub

By Becky Harris

A traditional tub made of hinoki wood sets a calming tone in this master bath renovation

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Japanese Maples for a Sunny Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The right maple in the right place shines in hot summer sun

MY HOUZZ My Houzz: Japanese Minimalism Blends With Classic New Orleans Style

African art and indoor plants complement the clean and modern aesthetic of two landscape architects

MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTS Your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

By Laura Gaskill

Prep your house and yard for cold weather with this list of things to do in an hour or over a weekend

HOUSEPLANTS DIY Project: How to Make a ‘Kokedama’ String Garden

By Shaunna Nygren

Dig in to create a simple, beautiful Japanese-inspired hanging garden

REMODELING GUIDES 'Yakisugi-ita' Is Setting the Siding World on Fire

By Ivon Street Studio

Exterior wood siding created by a Japanese burning technique is now alighting in the Western world

Sponsored

Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers

49 Reviews

Columbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!