What's eating my parrotia persica?

Persian ironwood is exceptionally tough and largely pest-free. Its hard, flaky bark and dense wood deter most borers. Aphids can appear on spring growth but rarely persist. Scale insects occasionally colonise stems. Deer or rabbits may browse young specimens but established trees are rarely troubled by any pest.

Small colonies on new shoot tips in spring; slight leaf curl or sticky residue; self-limiting on healthy established trees Leave for natural predators in most cases; blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap only if colonies are heavy and persistent

Small, waxy or armoured bumps on bark and stems; sooty mould where honeydew is deposited; dieback if unchecked Apply horticultural oil at the crawler stage; scrub off adults manually; dormant oil in late winter on larger infestations

Bark gnawing at the base of young trees in winter, potentially girdling the stem Fit wire-mesh tree guards around the trunk for the first few years; repellent pastes applied to the bark in autumn