What's eating my slowmound mugo pine?

Slowmound Mugo Pine shares the same pest profile as other Pinus mugo selections. Pine needle scale is the single most common pest, coating needles with white shells and causing yellowing. European pine sawfly larvae strip foliage fast in late spring. Zimmermann pine moth and pine bark adelgid also occur; deer browse in winter.

White scale coverings on needles; infested needles yellow and die; heavy infestations significantly weaken the plant. Dormant oil in early spring to kill overwintering eggs; insecticidal soap or horticultural oil spray when crawlers are active in late spring.

Groups of larvae rapidly consume old needles in spring, leaving bare, gray stubs on affected branches. Hand-pick larval clusters when small; spray insecticidal soap or spinosad; remove egg-laden shoots during winter pruning.

Large resin pitch masses at branch whorls; branches beyond the attack point wilt and die. Prune out and destroy infested branches; apply preventive pyrethroid spray at branch whorls in early spring and again in midsummer.