What's eating my ornamental plum 'nigra'?

Ornamental Plum 'Nigra' is grown for its deep purple foliage and pink spring blossom. Blackfly aphids curl shoot tips from April, winter moth caterpillars eat flower buds before the blossom display, and Prunus scale builds up on bark. Deer and rabbits damage young trunks. Its Prunus nature makes it susceptible to all common cherry and plum pests.

Black colonies tightly curling new purple shoot tips from late April; sticky honeydew leads to sooty mould that obscures the ornamental foliage Plant-oil winter wash in November–February; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil as leaves unfurl; pinch out heavily infested tips before colonies spread

Green looper caterpillars eat flower buds and young foliage in March–April, reducing the spring blossom display significantly Apply grease bands to trunk and stakes from October; pyrethrin at bud-break if loopers are seen; check and renew grease after heavy rain

Flattened brown scales encrust bark on older branches; sap-feeding weakens growth; sooty mould develops on excreted honeydew Apply plant-oil winter wash on bare wood; rub off visible scale clusters with a gloved hand or soft brush; spray pyrethrin at crawler stage in early summer

Rabbits gnaw bark at the base in winter; deer fray young stems with antlers in autumn, ring-barking and killing young trees Fit spiral rabbit guards for the first 3 years; use 1.5 m wire netting against deer; apply proprietary repellent spray from late August