Pipevine has white stuff on it

16 years ago

I have Aristolchia Frimbrata ( I think that is it, it is not the white veined one but has the kinda tough rough large heart shape leaf). Anyway, it is on my pergola and has some white stuff on the back of the leaves,plus on the main stems. I thought it was white flies so I sprayed it yesterday with Insecticidal Soap (Safer brand). Now I am wondering if it is Powdery Mildew. Many of the leaves are now brown and dried (even before spraying it). Has anyone had problems with this on their Pipevine?

I read that you can spray with a half milk, half water solution for the Powdery Mildew. Since it is not being used as a host now, I guess it wouldn't hurt to spray it anyway. Right?

Comments (14)

MissSherry
16 years ago
I've never found white stuff on any of my aristolochias, Mary, so I can't say for sure what it is. Some white stuff showed up on a butterfly bush/buddleia of mine once, and the whole bush died. I think it was a fungus that thrived due to lack of air circulation - is your a. fimbriata surrounded by other plants that restrict air flow?
MissSherry
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
No, but the leaves were pretty thickly layered this summer. I have a feeling that it is from the lack of air circulation since it is on the back of the leaves and not on the tops of the leaves that are receiving sun and air. I think I will spray it with the milk solution, it won't hurt and might help.
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tdogmom
16 years ago
Could it be spider mites?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
Powdery mildew is 'usually' described as a grayish or white dusty coating on the UPPER side of the foliage. Whitefly can be recognised by their busy flitting from underneath the leaves when disturbed. Only the adults are truly white and they don't stay put! ;-)

There are types of armoured scale insects, however, that fits your description (maybe?). The female scale are brown, but the males are pure white. They'll be found (often together) on the underside of foliage, along stems, and certainly on the plant veins....where the GOOD stuff is! Aristolochia is a host to armoured scale.
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Rhizo - how do I treat for the scale?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
If you are certain that it is one of the scale insects, then horticultural oil applications can be helpful. Make sure that you mix the product according to directions and that you get it along the stems and underneath the leaves where the critters are. Repeat applications will be necessary...scale are pesky!

Are you pretty sure that it's scale, or did I just 'talk you into it'? ;-)
cass_fritillary
16 years ago
The aristolochia that you described is probably a. tomentosa. I just bought the white veined one on Sat. and it's the a. fimbriata. I know there are other pipevines that have the same shaped leaf you described just larger than the a. tomentosa but I'm not sure of the names of those types of aristolochia.

Good luck with your aristolochia.
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Cass,
You are right. I get those two confused all the time. In fact, I just found some Frimbrata seeds today and I know I have never collected seeds from this one that has the white stuff on it.

Everyone else,
I took some pictures but I can't post them today. I go through my son's server to post and his isn't up and working. Will hopefully get them up soon. I am not sure what it is on the leaves.
mssunflower
16 years ago
Could you have Mealy Bugs??? They are white fluffy stuff and infect leaves, stems and spread very fast. The insecticidal soap should help but you will need to be persistant. A cotton swab with alchohol on it rubbed on the actual fuzzy spots will assist in getting rid of these persistant critters but you will need to stay on top of it.

Good Luck!!

Ms. Faith
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Finally, here are the pictures of the white stuff.
janetg57
16 years ago
That looks like mealy bugs.

Janet
mssunflower
16 years ago
Yep!!! It is definitely mealy bugs. In addition to the insecticidal soap, daily washings under the water hose, kitchen sink sprayer or whatever you have handy to wash it with will help to remove them from your plant. Again, I can't stress persistence as one of the keys to getting rid of this pest, because they are so persistent themselves. Additionally, you might want to isolate your plant from the rest of your plants to prevent spreading.

Good Luck,
Ms. Faith
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Can't isolate it, it is planted in the ground at the corner of my pergola! I can move the potted plants around it, but some are in the ground also.

Will spray it again with the insecticial soap today.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
EEEK! That's a very bad case of mealybugs! I'd be sorely tempted to cut the vine back to the ground and let it re-grow freshly. Would that be a possibility?

Horticultural oils can be helpful with the control of this pest, too, by the way. It gets into the nooks and crannies of stems and petiole attachments.