What's eating my cotinus coggygria 'grace'?

Smoke bush 'Grace' is notably tough but aphids colonise new growth in spring, and verticillium wilt (a soil fungus) is the most serious threat. Rabbits can ring-bark young plants in winter. Caterpillars occasionally feed on the large, ornamental leaves, though rarely cause lasting harm.

Soft green or black colonies on shoot tips; sticky honeydew, leaf curl, and secondary sooty mould. Encourage natural predators (ladybirds, lacewings); use insecticidal soap or a forceful water spray for outbreaks.

Irregular holes or scalloped leaf margins; frass on foliage beneath feeding sites. Hand-pick; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) if defoliation is severe.

Clean, angled gnaw marks at the base of young stems; bark stripped in winter, potentially girdling the plant. Fit spiral tree guards or wire mesh cylinders around stems from ground level to at least 60 cm.