Jeff's Tips - Viburnum Leaf Beetle

"The Viburnum Leaf Beetle Is The Newest

Villain In Town"

 Many customers have noticed leaves on their favorite Viburnum being eaten, giving the appearance of dead shrubs throughout the landscape.  The Viburnum are not dead.  What’s attacking the plant is an insect new to the Midwest. Much like the Emerald Ash Borer and the Gypsy Moth who have reeked havoc in previous seasons, The Viburnum Leaf Beetle has made its way to the  Cleveland area (in this case, the beetle is originally from Europe).

Recognizing that the Viburnum Leaf Beetle is on your property is half the battle.

The good news is there are specific insecticides that will solve the problem.

The bad news is that once the bug has found you, you’ll likely have to specifically treat the Viburnum at least once a year for the lifespan of the shrub. This is because, the Viburnum Leaf Beetle drop their larva into the surrounding soil, not on the plant itself. If your Viburnum are an important part of your landscape and you’re not ready to give them up to these pests, you’ll want to keep an eye out for even the smallest signs of damage to the leaves.

Viburnum happen to be one of my favorite groups of plants, so we’ve incorporated it into many of our customers’ designs. Depending on your preference, replacing them with something else may be an option, but Viburnum are a hard act to follow. 

The right approach might be timely pesticide treatments to keep the plants healthy and protected from the Leaf Beetles.  

If you have concerns about your Viburnum or other plants, give a call. I'm happy to answer any questions or share my insights with you. ~ Jeff