[Cissy]

Does anyone have a problem this year with a magnolia tree scale? We only have one magnolia tree but it is quickly dying if I am not able to kill this infestation. I am now using a soap and oil solution mixed in water and spraying it on the tree three times a week. Is there a better and surefire treatment that will take care of this problem?

[Oren L Miller]

Summer and Dormant Oils - Horticultural oils (often called summer oils) at 1.5-2.0% applied after the crawlers have settled in late August can be very effective in reducing the scale population. Be sure to thoroughly wet down the stems and leaves. Dormant oils can be applied in October to November and again in March to kill the overwintering nymphs located on the stems. Be sure to check the spring buds as some damage may be caused on the flower buds if they have begun to swell.

[greenthumb]

Go see Johndeere they gave me some stuff that worked great but you have to put it on every 7 to eleven days cant remember the name though.

[Cissy]

Thanks to both of you who replied!

[Floridagal]

Been having this problem for almost two years now. My husband tried everything and nothing seems to work for us. This year was the worst. Each day the leaves get blacker and blacker and fall of the tree. Having the tree removed next week and a small palm put in its place.

[duffysmom]

This is distressing to hear. We have several magnolias and two are enormous (15ft) and I've noticed small white dots on the leaves. On Parr Drive I see that the huge magnolias are all dying and I'm hoping that I can save my trees. I'm having Megan Heichelbech of M&M Landscaping spray the trees. Megan is a talented hortilculturist so hopefully she can save them.

[duffysmom]

Regarding the magnolias on Parr Drive, I've learned that they were sprayed with the wrong pesticide and TV is waiting to see if they will survive. Some appear to be dead and others look like they are rallying.

[1978tbird]

This may sound like the dumbest remedy you ever heard of but hey, it worked for me on my large magnolia at our northern home in western NY. Scale is very hard to get under control once it gets a good grip on your tree. I had limited success with spray once the scale set in plus the dormant oil would wash off after a good rain our two. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Believe it or not I blasted the scale off my tree using a pressure washer (as weird as that sounds). It did a great job and did not harm the tree at all. Be sure not to use a real fine spray - that will damage the bark but a fan-pattern should work fine. (Use just enough pressure to remove the scale.) The washer will even remove (most) of the black coloring that the magnolia develops from the scale. With the right spray pattern the leaves will not be damaged or fall from the tree. As for the (fuzzy)white spots on the leaves - you can purchase a systemic spray from your local garden store that should take car of that - I believe Ortho has something available but I don't recall the name of it right now. I can look it up if anyone is interested. The systemic spray is absorbed into the tree through the leaves and the white stuff winds up eatting the spray thus killing it. My magnolia was in real tough shape about three years ago and I thought I was going to lose it for sure so I figured I had nothing to lose. After pressure washing it and applying the spray I cleared up quickly. I followed that with a treatment of dormant oil spray in the fall and the following spring and the tree has been very healthy ever since. Regular dormant oil application each season seems to have prevented further problems. I know this is unconventional but it did work real well for my sick magnolia. It's now over 20 ft tall. Good luck!

[duffysmom]

1978 I am surprised to learn that magnolias can survive in the north.
Thanks for the information.

[1978tbird]

Hi Duffysmom,

We have a Saucer Magnolia in NY. It may be different than what you have. I planted it about 30 years ago and it is protected a little by the house. It has thrived in that location although the scale almost destroyed it a few years ago. It is really loaded with flowers in the spring . . . .