What's eating my yellow azalea?

Yellow Azalea (Rhododendron luteum) is attacked by vine weevil, rhododendron leafhopper spreading bud blast, and lace bugs that bleach foliage. As a deciduous azalea often in open garden settings, deer and rabbits also browse it. Vine weevil is the most damaging pest; bud blast can ruin the prized fragrant flower display.

Notched leaf margins; root-feeding grubs cause wilting and plant death, especially in container-grown specimens Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes August–October; use physical traps and check root zones at repotting

Leaf stippling; eggs laid into flower buds introduce bud blast fungus — buds blacken and fail to open Pick off and bin blasted buds in winter; spray pyrethrin in August to catch adults before egg-laying

Upper foliage mottled pale yellow; brown sticky deposits visible on leaf undersides Neem oil or insecticidal soap targeting undersides; avoid dry, hot, exposed positions where lace bugs thrive

Browsed shoots and flower buds; rabbits strip bark from the base of young stems Rabbit spiral guards on young plants; deer repellent spray in autumn and winter; fencing where deer pressure is high