I got an email with some pictures a few years ago asking me about magnolia scale, which is a topic I have written about for a number of years. I feel confident the insect was magnolia scale. The ...

Magnolia scale (Neolecanium cornuparvum) is a soft scale insect that attacks only magnolia trees, including the popular star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana).

Many gardeners, as well as the horticulturists at the Chicago Botanic Garden, had issues with magnolia scale last year, and it’s a pest to watch closely for in 2025. The Garden’s plant health care ...

We enjoy magnolia trees for their beautiful early spring flowers, but in summer they sometimes get downright ugly. Gardeners may notice a fuzzy black coating on branches or a sticky glaze that ...

Magnolia scale is one of the largest soft scales found in the U.S. and feeds on the sap of magnolias, particularly star magnolia, lily magnolia, cucumber tree magnolia, and saucer magnolia. Tuliptree ...

Magnolia scales are native “soft scales. They are called soft scales because the females are hidden beneath a helmet-like soft leathery covering that provides some protection. However, they are easily ...

*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. ‘Jane’ magnolia Q: An arborist diagnosed my ‘Jane’ magnolia with magnolia scale last fall, and I was told to apply horticultural ...

My fairly large magnolia tree is heavily infested with scale. What can I do? It has also been losing quite a few leaves lately. Since your tree is so large and heavily infested, I would recommend a ...

The next few weeks are a good time to monitor your magnolias for magnolia scale - an insect about the size of a pencil eraser. Typically found on the underside of magnolia branches, scale is ...

*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. Magnolia scale adults (lower left) and overwintering nymphs Q: My ‘Ann’ magnolia tree lost its leaves early this year, and I ...