What's eating my japanese camellia 'nuccio's pearl'?

Japanese Camellia 'Nuccio's Pearl' is most troubled by tea scale insects, which encrust the undersides of its glossy leaves and cause yellowing. Vine weevil notches leaves and destroys roots. Camellia flower blight (a fungal disease) ruins blooms, but the key animal pest is deer, which will browse foliage heavily in winter when other food is scarce.

Undersides of leaves covered in tiny elongated white or tan waxy scales; upper surface yellows and the plant loses vigor Apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to leaf undersides in spring when crawlers are active. Repeat after 2–3 weeks. Avoid smothering the plant in fertilizer, which attracts scale.

Irregular notching on leaf edges; larvae in root zone cause wilting and sudden dieback Apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist soil in late summer. Check container compost for white grubs if plant wilts unexpectedly.

Distorted, sticky new growth; black aphids clustered on young shoot tips and flower buds Crush by hand or dislodge with a water jet. Insecticidal soap for persistent colonies; avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that kill beneficial predators.

Foliage and stem tips browsed, particularly in late autumn and winter when camellias are among the few green plants available Use scent-based repellent sprays (Bobbex, Deer Out) monthly. Protect young specimens with wire cages.