hemlock

The non-native Elongate Hemlock Scale (Fiorinia externa), which is sometimes called "Fiornia scale," occurs on the underside of needles and on cones.  It may infest its namesake host as well as on other conifers including firs, Douglas-fir, spruces, cedars, pines, and yews.  The scale was accidently introduced to the U.S. from Japan and was first found in New York, NY, in 1908.  Currently, it's found in much of the native range for eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and Carolina hemlock (T. caroliniana).  Where it overlaps with the non-native Hemlock Woolly...

We sometimes forget “what it was like not to know”, when it comes to plant identification. Yet, it is essential when it comes to selecting and maintenance of plants. A simple misidentification of a pine vs. a spruce can result in improper pruning timing or improper diagnostics, prognostics, and recommended management for a disease: Diplodia tip blight of pine and Cytospora  canker of spruce are different diseases, obviously on different –plants. And spruces do not have “pine cones”.

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