What's eating my wild cherry bonsai?

Wild Cherry bonsai are most heavily attacked by cherry blackfly — a black aphid that causes severe leaf curling on shoot tips from late spring. Winter moth caterpillars browse emerging leaves in early spring. Healthy outdoor specimens benefit from natural predators such as ladybirds and lacewings that keep aphid populations in check.

Dense black colonies on shoot tips and leaf undersides in late spring; leaves curl tightly around them, honeydew and sooty mold develop Encourage natural predators (ladybirds, lacewings, hoverfly larvae); spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil if colonies are severe; act before leaves curl shut

Tiny green caterpillars eat holes in or completely destroy emerging leaves in early spring, leaving ragged, shot-holed foliage Apply Bt spray as soon as caterpillars are seen in early spring; place sticky grease bands around the pot or bench leg to trap wingless females in autumn

Waxy brown bumps on bark and branches; sap depletion weakens growth and promotes sooty mold on honeydew deposits Treat with dormant horticultural oil spray in late winter; scrape off colonies manually; repeat summer oil application if needed