What Pests Afflict Magnolia Tree Flowers?
- Magnolia blossoms have a strong scent and bright color that attracts some pests.Blossoming twig of magnolia-tree (on blossom tree background) image by wildman from Fotolia.com
Magnolia trees tend to have fewer pests and diseases than other flowering trees; however, a few pests can afflict the magnolia tree's flowers. These include slugs, snails, caterpillars and hoplia beetles. For the sake of the tree's health, remove the pests as soon as you notice them. - Slugs and snails emerge at night or under wet conditions to devour the leaves on your magnolia tree's flowers. Sometimes they completely remove the leaves or cause them to turn brown. Other times, they leave only the skeleton of the leaf. Tree owners do not often see these pests and may assume that the leaf disappearance is due to disease. Owners can prevent snails and slugs from eating the magnolia flower leaves by spreading slug bait at the base of the tree. Slugs and snails most often strike young trees with soft leaves.
- Some magnolia tree varieties are susceptible to caterpillars. Caterpillars eat the leaves of young trees and curl other leaves to form makeshift shelters. Others create nests on the flower's leaves by wrapping their silk around the leaf to create a web. These webs can damage the leaves and lessen the tree's aesthetic appeal. If a large number of caterpillars cover the tree, branch death may result. Prevent this by clipping affected areas of the tree and by spraying caterpillar larva with chemical solutions designed to kill them.
- The hoplia beetle is an oval-shaped beetle that is ¼ inch long and feeds on any type of light-colored flower. The beetle eats round holes in the flower's petals, but does not eat the flower's leaves. This does not damage the tree, but it does prevent the owner from enjoying the tree's blooms or being able to clip flowers for a floral arrangement. Manage hoplia beetles by shaking them off the tree into buckets of soapy water. Clip affected flowers often to avoid the beetles spreading to other areas of the tree. Hoplia beetles are commonly found in California.
