Pest identification
What's eating my mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Andromeda lace bug (Stephanitis takeyai)
Signs: Upper leaf surface shows silvery, stippled bleaching; dark tar-like droppings on undersides
Control: Improve air circulation; insecticidal soap or neem oil on leaf undersides; horticultural oil in late winter; move to part shade
Rhododendron leafhopper
Signs: Yellow stippling and pale streaking on foliage; adults jump when foliage is disturbed
Control: Insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray; sticky yellow traps; remove leaf litter
Deer
Signs: Foliage and buds browsed; stems snapped by antler rubbing
Control: Deer repellent sprays; wire caging on young plants; plant within a fenced area
Scale insects
Signs: Brown waxy bumps on stems; yellowing and premature leaf drop
Control: Horticultural oil spray; rub off with alcohol-soaked cotton; prune out heavily infested stems
Keep mountain laurel 'olympic fire' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats mountain laurel — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common mountain laurel 'olympic fire' problems & fixes
- Mountain Laurel 'Olympic Fire' watering schedule
- Mountain Laurel 'Olympic Fire' light requirements
- Full mountain laurel 'olympic fire' care guide
Mountain Laurel 'Olympic Fire' pests — FAQ
What is eating my mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Mountain Laurel 'Olympic Fire' is vulnerable to lace bugs, which cause a distinctive silvery stippling on foliage, and to rhododendron leafhopper. Deer browse it heavily. Scale insects can colonise stems in shaded locations. Lace bugs are the most widespread pest across the US range, especially on plants in full sun.
How do I get rid of andromeda lace bug (stephanitis takeyai) on mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Upper leaf surface shows silvery, stippled bleaching; dark tar-like droppings on undersides Improve air circulation; insecticidal soap or neem oil on leaf undersides; horticultural oil in late winter; move to part shade
How do I get rid of rhododendron leafhopper on mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Yellow stippling and pale streaking on foliage; adults jump when foliage is disturbed Insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray; sticky yellow traps; remove leaf litter
How do I get rid of deer on mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Foliage and buds browsed; stems snapped by antler rubbing Deer repellent sprays; wire caging on young plants; plant within a fenced area
How do I get rid of scale insects on mountain laurel 'olympic fire'?
Brown waxy bumps on stems; yellowing and premature leaf drop Horticultural oil spray; rub off with alcohol-soaked cotton; prune out heavily infested stems