With beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) blooming throughout portions of Illinois, it is time to be cognizant of euonymus scale (Unaspis euonymi) crawlers moving around on plant parts looking for a place to settle down and initiate the feeding process. Fletcher scale is common in the northern parts of the Midwest and Canada and is most frequently found on arborvitae (Thuja sp.) Genus Pachysandra are mat-forming evergreen perennials or subshrubs with creeping stems and short upright branches bearing leathery leaves clustered at the tips, and erect spikes of small flowers, the … Leaf blight of the pachysandra plant is a fungal disease caused by the Volutella pachysandricola fungus. Be sure to remove any debris from the groundcover bed, such as fallen branches or leaves--debris inhibits the air from circulating between the plants. Pruning tends to work best when removing branches that grow close to buildings or are crowded next to a fence or other structure, which limits air … It is hardy in zones 5 to 8. Scale insects may infest Pachysandra. These blotches then become larger, and cankers can be seen around the stems and runners of the plant. Therefore keeping plants healthy with proper watering and fertilizing will help. Thin out pachysandra when the bed becomes dense to improve air circulation. Pachysandra’s growth habit is mat-like, and slow growing. Scale tends to be worse in plants growing close to buildings. Types of Scales: Scale insects can be roughly divided into two groups: armored scales and soft scales. Large infestations of the San Jose scale can destroy an entire planting. Family Buxaceae . 1). (Honeysuckle) Paxistima canbyi (Canby paxistime) Ilex spp. Plants thrive in sun dappled shade under large trees. Consult the label for dosage rates and safety precautions. The University of Connecticut recommends using such fungicides as: chlorothalonil (Bravo, Daconil 2787) or mancozeb (Dithane, Penncozeb). Be sure to remove any debris from the groundcover bed, such as fallen branches or leaves--debris inhibits the air from circulating between the plants. Other common names Japanese spurge 'Green Carpet' . In some cases where there is heavy insect and disease populations, it may even be recommended to mow your pachysandra and let it re-grow to remove most of the fungal spores and insects. Be sure the pachysandra are healthy when you buy them, and check the leaves carefully for … Plants will spread by rhizomes to form large colonies. And they recommend that plants be sprayed 2 to 3 times at 10- to 14-day intervals. Also, plants require a site that receives partial to deep shade (prefers full shade). Heavy infestations of scale can be brought under control by applying summer oil spray before the new growth starts in spring. Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis, a member of the Buxaceae–Box--family) is also commonly known as Japanese Pachysandra or Japanese Spurge. Armored scales are enclosed in this cover that is constructed of wax, shed skins and other substances. Large populations can build up unnoticed before plants begin to show visible symptoms. Foliage tends to bleach when grown in too much sun. It generally attacks weak or injured plant. Pachysandra does well in organically rich, well-drained acidic soil--it will tolerate soil that has a pH that is neutral/slightly alkaline as long as it drains well. Sprays of insecticidal soap and malathion applied in early June and again in mid-July will also control this scale. It is a devastating disease that can destroy large areas of a pachysandra bed. Pachysandra is susceptible to leaf blight--also referred to as Volutella blight or dieback. To keep a pachysandra bed healthy, attend to potential problems as soon as you see them. thanks for the help!Alice Xenakis. Since pachysandra is slow growing it will take time to spread and cover the area that it has been planted in. Therefore keeping plants healthy with proper watering and fertilizing will help. In spring, eggs hatch into tiny mobile crawlers, which migrate to new feeding sites. Spray insecticides containing carbaryl, cyfluthrin, horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, malathion, or permethrin can be used for control of the crawler stage of Euonymus scale. The success of any treatment can be gauged by the extent to which new growth remains free of scale insects. Ezop has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern Illinois University and has been writing for 10 years. THERE is a lot of pachysandra growing in these parts. Crawlers will get stuck on the tape as they try to crawl across it. After a few days, crawlers settle, insert their mouthparts, and begin feeding. This fungal disease can kill large areas of a pachysandra groundcover bed. Irregular spots or lesions are first seen in the early summer (Fig. Plants that are stressed/weak or injured are more susceptible to leaf blight; therefore, it is important to monitor and provide necessary corrective measures to maintain a healthy groundcover bed (healthy plant tissue is better able to fight off disease).