I got an email with some pictures a few years ago asking me about magnolia scale, which is a topic I have written about for a number of years. I feel confident the insect was magnolia scale. The ...

My magnolia had a problem with magnolia scale last year. Will it come back, and should I take some action to protect my tree? The leaves were covered in a black mold late last summer. — Frank Butler, ...

Many gardeners, as well as the horticulturists at the Chicago Botanic Garden, had issues with magnolia scale last year, and it’s a pest to watch closely for in 2025. The Garden’s plant health care ...

Q: We have been successful in identifying an insect known as magnolia scale on our star magnolia (Magnolia stellata). Can you give us some advice on how to manage this insect to protect the tree? — ...

Magnolia scales are native “soft scales. They are called soft scales because the females are hidden beneath a helmet-like soft leathery covering that provides some protection. However, they are easily ...

Question: My magnolia tree has been taken over by flies and wasps. There are half-inch pink bumps on the branches, and the leaves are turning black. Leaves are falling off the tree. What is wrong with ...

Magnolia scale (Neolecanium cornuparvum) is a soft scale insect that attacks only magnolia trees, including the popular star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana).

Question for Dan Gill: I have a Japanese magnolia tree that appears to have a problem. I first noticed a black deposit on the leaves and branches. Looking closely, I see small waxy yellow blobs along ...