General Chat

I have got an Acer in the garden about 5 years old...Today I noticed that is has white sticky bits on it. It's a bit like melted marshmallow.... Never seen anything like it before..Any ideas?.........Linda

Have you tried googling Acer plants cos there is a site there that deals with all the probs that can occur with an Acer Plant :-))) hope that helps Lyn Twizzle

Hi Twizzle, I have now at your suggestion but it's definitely not that. This is bright white sticky bits. Thanks linda

Lyn the site is called belive it or not 'Acer Plant Problems' Twizzle

Sounds like cucckoo spit .If you move the spit you will see a little grub. Its not dangerouse to the plant but looks unsightly I wash mine of with a whoosh from a sprayer gun. From Gardening World © Cuckoo spit Plants affected: Affects many plants in early summer. Symptoms: Frothy white ‘spittle’ on plant stems in early summer. Prevention/Control: A yellowish insect lives inside the froth where it sucks on the sap. It looks more serious than it is. If you can be bothered, wash the ‘spittle’ off with a hose. Otherwise leave it, because it causes no damage. Shirley

Hi Linda, Got this from Goog... My Acer and Magnolia Susan outdoors have a white glue-like substance on them with disc shaped creatures stuck to it. I looked up mealy bug and I'm not sure if it is this as they are outside. I blasted them off with the hosepipe and the white stuff like marshmallows was all stuck to the fence. These are not on the leaves but on the branches and trunks. What could it be please? My magnolia is 15 years old and never ailed a thing although we moved to this garden two years ago and I brought most of my shrubs with me. Please give me the benefit of your experience. Expert Advice ----- What you are going to have to do Sue is to spray your plant to run off with a systemic insecticide and the one I would use is Provado Ultimate Bug Killer which will kill scale insects and also mealy bug. I would spray your trees early morning or late evening and if it is a bad infestation you will probably need to spray more than once and as explained above you will need to spray to run off using a powerful jet. Ria xxx ------

Hi Ria, Thanks so much, that must be it...you can't have two bugs that look like melted marshallow...can you????? Going to try and sort it out tomorrow. Thanks linda

The cuckoo spittle is just like frothy suds. The scale insect is hard and tends to stick to the plant.

what acer is it

could be an ifestation by wooly aphids

Hi Hoff, it's an Acer Palmatum (Red) Linda

I've got an Acer computer, and it has developed the same problem! What should I do!!??

sounds like aphid juice.