Overview Information Mountain laurel is a plant. Texas mountain laurel grows in limestone soils in Central and Southwest Texas and to 5000 feet in the Chisos and Davis Mountains. It is a mild fungus doing the damage, not insects. Slugs can cause damage by eating the edges of the leaves of laurel. Laurels are a popular plant for screens, privacy hedges and general landscaping. The leaves of the mountain laurel are as bad as the flowers. The leaves can induce staggering, convulsions, difficulty with breathing and drooling. Beyond that, the best mountain laurel winter care involves protecting the plants from both wind and bright winter sun. Step 1 Look for sooty mold on bay laurel leaves and twigs. They feed on foliage and bark, leaving characteristic notches along the edges of mountain laurel leaves. Slugs only need to be controlled on smaller plants. 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Their heads are black and have white spots. Daphne desired not to marry, and she fled from Apollo’s desire, into the woods, where […] In fact, any predators, such as birds, that eat other kinds of caterpillars stay away from genista caterpillars, as they would suffer from this toxicity. What does the genista caterpillar look like? The adult bugs fed on the leaves, leaving notches along the edges. “They’re actually great to feed birds, and lizards, and other insects that feed on caterpillars,” she says. photo by Doug Martin. Check out the Guidelines For Landscape Drip Irrigation Systems. The adult bugs fed on the leaves, leaving notches along the edges. When pruning, keep in mind that Texas mountain laurels are slow-growing trees and that blooms will only appear on wood that is over a year old. The Texas mountain laurel is a beautiful, evergreen shrub or small tree, with fragrant purple flowers and one noticeable problem – each summer, the plant may suddenly start losing its new leaves and buds. Despite my pest-misgivings, I decided to add a young tree to my drought-tolerant landscape. For the first week, my Texas mountain laurel was blissfully happy, and so was I. Keep it well watered during the growing season, using mulch to retain moisture. The mountain laurel is a native shrub in eastern North America. This is one of the most common of mountain laurel insects and is small and square shaped. A. Pruning infested branches can stop the spread of this pest and removing eggs before the caterpillars hatch will also help. Texas mountain laurel leaves are toxic to most other kinds of pests, but they don’t affect genista caterpillars. Mountain laurel is a pretty flowering shrub that zone 5 through 9 gardeners like to use for screening, borders, and other yard elements. Never prune more than a third of the shrub/tree at a time. A: Shothole is a common bacterial disease on ‘Otto Luyken’, ‘Zabal’ and ‘Schip’ laurel plants. The Otto Luyken cultivars grow to a height of three to four plum, and other stone fruits. Do not be concerned. And that’s where the purple flowers form in the spring. Late in their development, larvae stop … Interestingly, I had never noticed the abundant caterpillars in 20 years in Central and South Texas. Mountain laurel is poisonous to several animals, including horses, goats, cattle, deer, monkeys, and humans, due to grayanotoxin and arbutin. CONTROL. Weevil larvae, white grubs with brown heads, also feed on laurel roots deep in the soil. The guy at the nursery said the disease is called “shot hole” but wasn’t sure how to control it. Seriously damaged stems should be removed and burned. CHEMICAL CONTROL. Genista caterpillars are yellow-green with black and white spots. The rabbits and slugs you can tackle, the bacterial infection you can't. They can be used as Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Before my genista caterpillar infestation, the new growth on my Texas mountain laurel was untouched, beautiful and healthy. The flowers found on mountain laurel come hues that range from pure white to a bright red and are contrasted with the lush green leaves on the plant. Larvae (caterpillars) emerge from eggs deposited by the adult female and go through several feeding stages (instars). Young Texas mountain laurel trees should be checked frequently for caterpillar infestations. They will feed on young laurel. Which Palo Verde Tree is Best for Your Phoenix-Area Yard. The leaves of the cherry laurel tree (Prunus laurocerasus) are prone to a harmless condition called Laurel shot hole. Something seems to be eating my Texas mountain laurel. My observations tell me otherwise. You may also see little piles of sawdust where they have entered a stem. It happens in these conditions: 1. Proper care greatly increases your laurel shrub's ability to resist or fight pest infestations. Look for egg masses during the spring, and again in late summer. Grayanotoxin is the harmful substance found within this shrub. Products we carry at all locations to treat: Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) - Comes in a liquid form and is most effective when the insect is younger. By eating all the other plants, deer browsing eliminates the competition clearing the path for mountain laurel (and heath family) expansion. It’s most likely genista caterpillars (Uresiphita reversalis), which hatch into the broom moth They are known to eat the leaves of both broom plants (genista means “broom”) and Texas mountain laurels. For mountain laurel winter care, add a thick layer of straw mulch or chopped leaves as the weather turns icy. Be aware of all the possible mountain laurel insects that may infest so that you can take steps to prevent and manage as needed: Lace bug – If you see pale, mottled discoloration on your mountain laurel’s leaves, it may be lace bug that is sucking the sap out of them. They’re not easy to find, but look for small areas of eggs that overlap, usually on the underside of new foliage, towards the tips of branches. Can I prevent them from eating my Texas mountain laurel? They are only about a half an inch long, so they might be tough to spot at first. Texas mountain laurel leaves are toxic to most other kinds of pests, but they don’t affect genista caterpillars. Weevil – Weevil larvae attack the roots of mountain laurel, which causes the leaves to turn yellow first, and ultimately the leaves and branches to die. This may be to warn birds and mammals that the caterpillar is poisonous to them. They are also known to live on broom plants, which is how they got their name. You can do this manually with a hook or knife, or you can inject an insecticide into the holes you find with sawdust beneath them. Whiteflies are sap-sucking insects that quickly stress plants in large numbers. Be aware of all the possible mountain laurel insects that may infest so that you can take steps to prevent and manage as needed: Lace bug – If you see pale, mottled discoloration on your mountain laurel’s leaves, it may be lace bug that is sucking the sap out of them. While the feeding can cause damage to the leaves- often disfiguring new growth- they do not seem to harm the tree overall. Brown says genista caterpillars won’t damage the mountain laurel. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. This shrub is a great plant for shady yards and forest gardens, but there are a few bugs that eat mountain laurel. Q: These caterpillar bugs are all over my Texas mountain laurel (the same one that had the red and black plant bugs in March – which I sprayed off with a soap solution). If you spot an egg mass, you can remove it by hand or spray it with water at high pressure. Laurels prefer moist, Small groups of genista caterpillars can be removed with a high-pressure water spray or insecticidal sprays. Keep mountain laurel plants out of any enclosures with domesticated animals – it is poisonous to many mammals. Various leaf spot fungi cause yellow, brown or black dead blotches on mountain laurel leaves. Laurel aphid also excretes a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew, and it … You could spray your shrub with a 2 percent horticultural oil solution. These pests are hard to spot because they feed at night, living under tree bark and debris on the ground by day. They can grow to about 1 inch in length and will spin webbing on the mountain laurel. It looks like something is eating the plant, but it’s not always obvious what’s causing it. Grow laurels in full sun exposure to partial shade. Rhododendron borer – This is a small, pale larva that bores into stems and overwinters there. What is it? This is one of the … If you remove egg masses before they hatch, you’ll bring down the number of adult caterpillars and lessen the amount of damage done to your plant. Usually, genista caterpillars cause only cosmetic damage from the loss of leaves. Summer is when these caterpillars are most active. What time of year should I look for them? Mature genista caterpillar and silken webbing on Texas mountain laurel. This shrub is a great plant for shady yards and forest gardens, but there are a few bugs that eat mountain laurel. Sign up for our newsletter. If you see signs of pests, there are some steps you can take to manage infestations. Lace bugs are often easy to spot, and you can remove these manually for minor infestations. He was in love with Daphne, who was the daughter of the River God, Peneus (identification varies). Any more than 40% loss can cause the tree to suffer and may slow the growth and impact its health. Do you know? Mulberry whitefly – Whitefly nymphs may infest the undersides of your mountain laurel leaves, so turn them over to check for infestation. Adult borers can be caught with a black light trap. As a result, these caterpillars have fewer natural predators than other types (but they still have some, such as lizards and wasps). Q: My Otto Luyken laurel shrubs have numerous small holes in the leaves. This is the excretion of laurel aphids, soft-bodied, pale-green insects that damages leaves by blocking light and reducing photosynthesis. They are prized for their shiny deep green leaves year round, white flowers in the spring, and deer resistance. One pest to be concerned about is the genista caterpillar that feeds on its leaves, young twig growth and immature seed pods. The boring damages stems and leaves scars. The other young plants you describe could be being eaten by rabbits. Both mountain laurel and rhododendron are on the “starvation food” list. Unfortunately, there are a number of pests of mountain laurel that you will have to contend with if you want to grow this beautiful shrub. Read more articles about Mountain Laurel. “So even if you don’t do anything, they’re not going to take over the world.” Written by Angela Bonilla. Recommendation: Medley Hills Farm Gourmet Turkish Bay Leaves. However, there are cases where extreme loss of leaves can slow the growth of the plant. This slow growing evergreen may be grown as a medium to large shrub or trained to a single or multi-trunk tree. If you prune off caterpillar-infested branches, you may lose some of the shape or blooms for a while. In fact, any predators, such as birds, that eat other kinds of caterpillars stay away from genista caterpillars, as they would suffer from this toxicity. That last attribute probably put the laurels over the top here in Fairfax County where deer now visit most neighborhoods on a regular basis. Because these plants are consumed by deer only as a last resort, deer can actually promote the growth of these plants. For weevils, which drop from leaves when disturbed, you can lay down a cloth, shake the branches of the shrub, and collect the fallen insects. It’s most likely genista caterpillars (Uresiphita reversalis), which hatch into the broom moth They are known to eat the leaves of both broom plants (genista means “broom”) and Texas mountain laurels. Compared to other types of caterpillars, the genista caterpillar has bright colors. Whitefly control usually requires use of an insecticide. Leaves of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) are often affected by powdery mildew (Podosphaera tridactyla and Podosphaera pannosa), by leaf spot fungi (Stigmina carpophila and Eupropolella britannica) and bacterial shothole (Pseudomonas syringae), all of which can cause holes, tattering and distortion in the leaves. Mountain laurel has a shallow root system and needs watering more often than most shrubs. In this article, we explain what’s happening, what it does to your Texas Mountain Laurel, whether you should be worried about it, and more. Moths and butterflies have four distinct life stages. Texas mountain laurels can survive losing up to 40% of their leaves. What is eating my mountain laurel? You can also use a plant barrier like tanglefoot to keep adult weevils from climbing up to eat the leaves. The fresh or dried leaves are used to make medicine. To manage pests on your mountain laurel, start by giving it the best growing conditions; a healthy plant will be better able to resist pests and damage. If you believe your pet consumed part of the mountain laurel and is acting ill, or if you witnessed your dog chewing on or eating this foliage, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible as symptoms can become serious. In all I'd say you have a combination of problems, some slug damage, rabbit damage and a bacterial infection. This will prevent extreme soil temperature fluctuations that can damage the shrubs. will need to be applied multiple times as it does not have a long lasting effect. To manage a borer infestation, kill the larvae in their bore holes. Severe powdery mildew infections may require fungicidal treatment. The damage is superficial and will not harm the overall health of the plant. Following the directions on the product's label, thoroughly spray the upper and lower sides of the laurel leaves for the best results. It’s unlikely. You will recognize them by their yellow/green color with black and white spots and white hairs. Slug pellets can be used to effectively control slugs. While beautiful, this is a poisonous plant that should be kept away from pets and other forms of wildlife. So get 'shot' of those long fronds with holes in them, while there is still plenty of moisture in the ground to encourage denser growth this season. In fact, you may find them in various life stages during the summer, as multiple generations can be born during the course of a few months during the warmer weather. For a bigger problem, use an insecticide on the affected leaves. Deer can become seriously ill if they consume too much mountain laurel. Genista caterpillars create silk webbing or loosely spun cocoons, usually on the older leaves of plants. If the feeding caterpillars are destroying your shrub or tree, Titan Tree Care can apply a special spray containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to stop them. These blotches frequently run together, causing heavily infected leaves to turn yellow or brown and fall prematurely. To manage larvae at the roots, use a pathogenic nematode or an appropriate pesticide. Pests are less likely to attack vigorous plants and more likely to attack stressed or weakened plants. Contact us at Titan Tree Care if you are concerned about the health of your Texas mountain laurel! Genista caterpillars prefer new leaves, buds, and shoots on Texas mountain laurel. Could it be something else? In large concentrations of cherry laurel, like in a hedge or laurel woodland (it sometimes … B.t. Laurel Wreath, Love, and Victory The laurel leaf wreath has its origin in the God Apollo. Genista larvae favor new growth and eat the buds and terminals of the Mountain Laurel first. Use compost in the soil, but don’t apply too much fertilizer. Once laurel plants are established, control is not necessary. The Genista Caterpillar will eat the leaves and may leave behind webbing or cocoons. This shrub is a great plant for shady yards and forest gardens, but there are a few bugs that eat mountain laurel. Texas mountain laurel leaves are toxic to most other kinds of pests, but they don’t affect genista caterpillars. Your plants' leaves will looks a bit like swiss cheese, with lots of round holes punched into them. Cool, moist weather encourages these diseases, especially when new leaves are developing. For example — In early December — when deer are clearly not starving — I have observed deer eating rhododendron and mountain laurel leaves, hemlock needles and even dry, brown leaves from the forest floor. My Laurel gets knocked back every time it gets out of my version of 'cloud prune' with a juniper next to it, which only grows slowly. Texas mountain laurel is not normally susceptible to disease.