The leaves of native elms can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to rise of pouch-like elm sack galls and the descriptively named elm cockscomb galls. Fortunately, neither of these aphid galls produce significant injury to the overall health of their elm tree host. Unfortunately, these odd looking plant structures can spoil the aesthetics of their deep green elm leaf platforms.

The leaves of native elms, non-natives, and hybrids can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to the leafmining activity of the elm leafminer sawfly. Fortunately, leafmining by the sawfly larvae has drawn to a close for the season, so the damage you see now will be the most damage that you'll see this season. Unfortunately, sawfly development has moved past effective control options meaning that you'll have to live with the current damage.

The leaves of native elms, non-natives, and hybrids can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to the adult pit feeding activity and larval leafmining activity of the elm flea weevil. Fortunately, leafmining by the weevil has drawn to a close, so the damage you see now will be the most damage that you'll see this season. Unfortunately, round two of the adult weevil damage is already underway.

Whilst kicked back on my deck pondering the black clouds rolling in, I marveled at the ‘Yellow Bird’ magnolia that has been blooming for about 3 weeks now.  I was smugly congratulating myself on selecting a great plant for the Drapescape view, when suddenly my “diagnostic spider senses” went on full alert!

 

 

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Early today, a NW Ohio resident called the Extension Office concerned about the leaves on her azaleas. She described the leaves as beginning to appear contorted and that there were growths that were thickening. The problem seemed to be getting worse and covering more of the leaves. The homeowner had several plants near the house's foundation and another plant along a sidewalk. All were exhibiting similar signs and symptoms, but some were more infected than others. 

The Inter-regional Research Project #4 (IR-4 Project) conducts biennial surveys to learn the pest, disease, and weed management challenges faced by the Green Industry. The survey results are used to guide research and to facilitate the registrations of conventional chemical pesticides as well as biopesticides.

As I was in the throes of cutting and baling my overgrown lawn last week in Northeast Ohio, I was pleasantly surprised to see a profuse flower display on my Pawpaw (Asmina triloba) trees!  I can’t recall ever seeing so many buds and blooms on the tree, especially the numbers which were noted this season.  Now some may opine that the green, brown fuzz covered bud scales are the reason most people ignore and consequently, miss the real floral display, because the buds seem so uninspiring. 

 

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Dryad's saddle polypore fungus is a very common woodland and landscape mushroom that grows in and on the wood of deciduous hardwood trees.

The bristly, lumpy round galls produced by the grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, family Phylloxeridae) may dominate our perception of galls on grapes. Indeed, these peculiar plant structures are a common feature on the lower leaf surfaces of wild grapes (Vitis spp.) in Ohio.