No. 9/August 18, 2022
Be on the Lookout for Spotted Lanternfly
The spotted lanternfly (SLF, Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive pest that impacts a wide range of plants as it feeds throughout the growing season. This non-native leafhopper was first identified in Pennsylvania back in 2014 and has since spread to 10 other states. Recent discoveries in Indiana and Iowa seem to be a sign of what is to come for Illinois, so we all need to be on the lookout for this new threat.
Controlling Unwanted White Mulberry in the Landscape
I’m going to say this quietly so that my kids don’t hear, but I don’t like mulberry trees. There I said it and some of you may disagree with me. I can handle that.
Peony Leaf Blotch
Peony leaf blotch disease is caused by the fungus Graphiopsis chlorocephala (formerly Cladosporium paeoniae). If you have seen peonies, you have most likely seen this disease. It goes by many other names, including Cladosporium leaf blotch, red spot, and measles.
Chimeras
I don’t often stop dead in my tracks for a Norway maple. But I recently came across a tree that warranted such action. The tree was mostly normal in its appearance. Its canopy consisted of typical green leaves for a Norway maple. What caught my attention was a small cluster of variegated leaves at the end of one branch. The variegated leaves were an example of a chimera, a situation in which the cells of more than one genotype (genetic makeup) are found growing adjacent to each other in the tissues of the plant. This chimera likely developed following a spontaneous mutation of a cell within the plants’ meristem. The cells that derived from the mutation were unable to produce chlorophyll, which gives normal leaves their green appearance.