Azalea

Question: I have two problems.  One concerns my azaleas (2 next to each other) and the other my milkweed. Can you please help me identify the problems and provide treatment ideas?

Thanks.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied September 17, 2024, 12:55 PM EDT
response: The azalea foliage symptoms look like mild lace bug damage (a very common pest on azaleas, especially if the plants are growing in lots of direct sun, which stresses them). There is also a small amount of leaf darkening or reddening that can also be attributed to environmental stress, possibly from drought or high heat. (Leaf reddening during winter is also normal for many azalea varieties, and it's due to similar conditions -- stress from temperature or inaccessible soil moisture -- during that time of year.) A location next to a wall can compound summer stress by reducing air circulation, reflecting extra light, and contributing to heat build-up and soil drying.  No management for lace bug needs to be done now, and you can monitor the plant for a new generation of lace bugs next spring. If you intervene, options are included in the page linked above, though usually only a strong spray of plain water from a garden hose or a few treatments of horticultural oil or insecticidal soap are needed to suppress their numbers. Either method must contact the leaf undersides to be effective, as that is where lace bugs will be living and laying their eggs.  Were the azaleas monitored for watering needs this summer? If not, start checking them periodically and watering as needed (once the soil becomes somewhat dry to the touch around five inches down) so they can maintain healthy roots and not lose flower buds that have formed for next spring's bloom.  The milkweed discoloration is hard to diagnose, but it does not appear to be due to disease or any pest activity; it too looks like a result of environmental stress. No action needs to be taken, and if nothing else is going on unrelated to the leaf symptoms, then the plant should go dormant as usual later this autumn and regrow normally next year. Is this a Swamp Milkweed? (It looks like it is.) If so, it is growing in moist soil? If also affected by drought, the plant's roots would fare better if periodically watered during dry spells. Cecil County, like much of Maryland, experienced notable drought for at least part of this past year, and is currently abnormally dry again.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied September 17, 2024, 2:44 PM EDT
response: Thank you for the quick response.  We will monitor watering needs better.  I was curious about the white fuzzy growth on the ends of two branches?  There are about 15 on the plant.  Should I cut them off?   Thanks again, Shirley

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied September 17, 2024, 4:37 PM EDT
response: You're welcome.  Are you referring to the fuzz on the milkweed stems, as visible in the photo you shared? If so, that is the silk-type fluff (called "pappus") attached to the ripe seeds, and is a normal feature and should not be removed if you want the seeds to disperse on the wind. If you were referring to the azalea instead, can you provide a close-up photo of the material you're seeing? (We don't see fuzz on the azalea.)  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied September 17, 2024, 9:24 PM EDT
response: I was referring to the milkweed. Thank you for the explanation.  Shirley