Pachysandra is a genus of five species of evergreen perennials or subshrubs, belonging to the boxwood family Buxaceae. The species are native to eastern Asia and southeast North America, some reaching a height of 20–45 cm (7.9–17.7 in), with only weakly woody stems. The leaves are alternate, leathery, with a coarsely toothed margin, and are typically 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long. The small uni-sexual blooms are greenish-white and produced in late spring or early summer.
Diseases Affecting Pachysandra
Volutella
Leaf blight can be a very destructive disease on pachysandra. The disease is caused by the fungus Volutella pachysandrae, and may be worse where plants are under stress.
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Alfalfa Mosaic Virus
Alfalfa mosaic virus has a broad host range that includes over 600 plant species in 70 families
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Insects Affecting Pachysandra
Spotted Lantern Fly
Lycorma delicatula, commonly known as the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), is a new invasive insect that has spread throughout southeastern Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014. SLF presents a significant threat to Pennsylvania agriculture, including the grape, tree-fruit, hardwood and nursery industries, which collectively are worth nearly $18 billion to the state’s economy.
Two-Spotted Spider Mite
This plant pest seems to feed on just about everything in the landscape. Two-spotted spider mites reproduce faster and have more generations per year when the weather is hot, consistently in the upper 80’s. Its host range is vast including annual flowers, ornamental grasses, herbaceous perennials, and woody trees and shrubs.
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Two-lined Chestnut Borer
Adult two-lined chestnut borers are slender, black beetles with a bluish to greenish hue that are 1/5-1/2 inch (5-13 mm) long with two faint, yellowish stripes along their back. Larvae are legless, white, slender, and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long when fully grown with two spines at the tip of the abdomen and have…
Euonymus Scale
The euonymus scale is a key pest of deciduous and evergreen euonymus.
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Aphids
Many species of aphids or plant lice occur on ornamental trees and shrubs in Pennsylvania.
Affected Species:
Ambrosia Beetle
Granulate ambrosia beetle was introduced to South Carolina from Asia in the early 1970’s.
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Please give us a call if you have any questions about your trees and shrubs or would like to schedule an appointment for us to walk your property.
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