Could any helpful soul help identify this affliction on a friend’s hydrangea? Many thanks.

Posts

• johnnypenstemon Posts: 120

  June 2019

  Apologies for the shouty heading  - that was supposed to be the comment!

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• josusa47 Posts: 3,530

  June 2019

  It's not clear from the picture whether the white blobs are outgrowths from the stems, or something that's attached themselves.  Have you tried picking them off, and if so, what do you find underneath?  My guess would be scale insects, but I'm sure someone better-informed will be along soon.

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• Borderline Posts: 4,700

  June 2019

  I agree, it's scale insects on the hydrangea. See the link for more advice.
  
  https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=557
  
  

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• Jacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039

  June 2019

  Yup scale insects, mine were infested a couple of years ago. Clean them off the stems as best you can as they zap the strength of the plant. Good luck it’s tedious but mine came back ok the following year.

  Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.

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• johnnypenstemon Posts: 120

  June 2019

  Thank you so much josusa, borderline and jacqui on behalf of my fellow garden course student Michael! I shall pass this on.

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• B3 Posts: 27,505

  June 2019

  A soft toothbrush is a good tool

  In London. Keen but lazy.

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• Lyn Posts: 23,190

  June 2019

  No need to buy fancy plastic spray bottles, you can paint on methylated spirit with a paint brush. My parents used that method for years and so do I.

  Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 
  
  

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