Choose pest-resistant landscape plants

One cost effective method of reducing pesticide use in the landscape and improving landscape quality is to use pest resistant plants. When planting or replacing plants this spring, consider using plant species that are resistant or tolerant of key pests. Azalea One common insect on azalea is the azalea lace bug. The adult lace bug is 1/8 inch long.

Their transparent wings are connected in the middle with two grayish-brown cross-bands. Lace bug nymphs and adults feed on plant juices through leaf tissue, causing white striping of the leaves.

The following azalea varieties have been shown to be highly resistant or resistant to azalea lace bug. Highly resistant varieties Piedmont Azalea Pinxterbloom Azalea Plumleaf Azalea Resistant varieties Cavalier Pink Star Dawn Red Wing Salmon Ink Pink Fancy Moderately resistant varieties Coral Bells Mary Lynn Nancy Crape Myrtle Crape Myrtle is one of the most popular landscape plants in Polk County. A very common disease on crape myrtle is powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew produces white to grayish powdery patches on the leaves, stems, and flowers of crape myrtle.

Powdery mildew normally occurs on new growth.

There are several varieties of crape myrtle that are resistant and tolerant of powdery mildew. Resistant varieties Yuma Sioux Hopi Tonto Biloxi Tolerant varieties Potomac Natchez Juniper A common disease on juniper is Phomopsis canker and dieback. Phomopsis causes death of leaves and stems.

This disease can cause reddish-brown discoloration of wood on diseased stems.

Some varieties of juniper have a resistant to Phomopsis tip blight. Resistant varieties Femina Iowa Keleeri Depressa Repanda Tripartita Arcadia Buffalo Calgary Knap Hill Silver King When renovating your landscape or planting replacement, consider the plant species that are resistant or tolerant of key pests.