What's eating my sawara cypress?

Sawara Cypress is generally trouble-free but can be attacked by spider mites, bagworms, and scale insects, especially when grown in dry or stressed conditions. Bagworms are the most visually damaging outdoor pest, constructing silken bags that progressively defoliate branches if left unchecked.

Spindle-shaped silken bags hanging from branches; larvae inside eat foliage and can strip entire branches bare Hand-pick and destroy bags in late winter before eggs hatch; spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) on young larvae in early summer

Fine webbing and stippled, bronzing foliage — most severe in hot, dry spells with poor air circulation Mist foliage to raise humidity; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat weekly for three applications

Hard or waxy bumps on twigs and bark, sticky honeydew, sooty mold, and slow branch dieback Apply horticultural oil in late winter (dormant oil) or summer (summer oil); scrape off clusters manually where accessible