mealy bugs on the anderson crape hibiscus

16 years ago

all OVER the anderson crape. Seems they love to get this plant...one year they killed it (or I did with the poison to kill the doggone bugs...) Anyway..I know it's dumb, but I LOVE this tree...even call it my present tree because every day i see a new bloom.... Well...it's just covered with the mealy bugs again.....I hit it with some spray but it is really REALLY infested on the tips...of course, that's where all the buds are! Now...do I have to chop every infested tip off and trash it, or should I just try to wait it out and see what happens. ????

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Comments (6)

minibim
16 years ago
If you don't mind chemicals treat it with Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub. It is a systemic soil drench and will well protect the Hibiscus for almost a year from mealys, aphids, thrips etc. Only pest it won't help with is spider mites.

If you want to avoid the chemicals next year. Try CycadJungle's approach with the coffee grinds. Starting in the spring spread the grinds around the base and keep applying, it will keep the ants from carrying the scale up the tree. I think the coffee grinds are definitely helping with many pests and just not scale or Hibiscus.
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beth7happy
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, mini...will certainly try the coffee grinds next spring...meanwhile, what about pruning the infested tips? what do you think?
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ginibee
16 years ago
Beth, I had the same problem with one of my jatrophas and didn't realize it was so bad until I started to trim it. It was horrible, so I trimmed all the foliage off and pruned the branches way back as they were looking bad too. I'm going to spread coffee grounds that I got from Starbuck's around the tree and see if it will come back. I loved your hibiscus too and it's a shame, but hopefully you can save it. Funny, I have 3 of the same jatrophas in close proximity and the mealy bugs only got one and I also found them on a copper plant on the other side of the yard. Where next?

Ginny
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beth7happy
Original Author
16 years ago
I've sprayed and we'll see. It really needs a good prune, anyway...never has been a great 'shape' - i think it was maybe a boo-boo on the early stages...doesn't come up in a pretty spray as so many do. ...perhaps I should really chop it back hard...or wait til next spring and concentrate on keeping it alive right now... Thanks for the input, Ginny. The pretty big-leaf, red-flower plant that you gave me is doing well! I love it.
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ginibee
16 years ago
Beth, it is Clerodendrum speciosissimum and one of my best hummingbird magnets. It does sucker some, but not so much it's uncontrollable. The young plants are easy to pull out. Hope we can get together again.

Ginny
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beth7happy
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank, Ginny. I'll write it down, this time...matter of fact, I should make a plant marker for it, since I can never remember!!! I've yet to see a hummingbird, but...perhaps if I turn my chair??? *smile* They are very rare little critters around here, tho I keep planting things just for them...think I only saw two or three this last year. We'll get together when I'm back from Chicago...I come home on the 22nd.
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mealy bugs on the anderson crape hibiscus

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mealy bugs on the anderson crape hibiscus

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minibim

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