Pest identification
What's eating my saucer magnolia?
Magnolia Scale (Neolecanium cornuparvum)
Signs: Large pink-brown waxy bumps on stems; profuse honeydew, sooty mold, and weakened shoots
Control: Horticultural oil at the crawler stage (late summer); dormant oil in late winter; systemic insecticide for severe cases
Magnolia/Flower Thrips
Signs: Brown-streaked or scarred flower petals; distorted new foliage
Control: Spinosad or insecticidal soap; remove and destroy spent flowers
Rabbits
Signs: Bark gnawed at the base of young trunks in winter, causing girdling
Control: Hardware cloth trunk guards left on through winter; rabbit repellent sprays
Keep saucer magnolia pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Saucer Magnolia pests — FAQ
What is eating my saucer magnolia?
Saucer Magnolia's large flowers and soft new growth attract scale insects and magnolia thrips, while the tulip-like flowers can be damaged by late frost more than by pests. Magnolia scale is the most economically serious pest, coating branches with sticky honeydew. Rabbits and deer may gnaw young trunks in winter.
How do I get rid of magnolia scale (neolecanium cornuparvum) on saucer magnolia?
Large pink-brown waxy bumps on stems; profuse honeydew, sooty mold, and weakened shoots Horticultural oil at the crawler stage (late summer); dormant oil in late winter; systemic insecticide for severe cases
How do I get rid of magnolia/flower thrips on saucer magnolia?
Brown-streaked or scarred flower petals; distorted new foliage Spinosad or insecticidal soap; remove and destroy spent flowers
How do I get rid of rabbits on saucer magnolia?
Bark gnawed at the base of young trunks in winter, causing girdling Hardware cloth trunk guards left on through winter; rabbit repellent sprays