Testing Roses

Conard Pyle Company is famous for its Star Roses. They work closely with the Meilland International rose breeders in France on introducing new roses to the world. I requested the best No-Spray roses they had for trial in South Florida. They sent 8 roses for testing which have been potted up and growing by now. I will discuss the 2012 releases for this blog.

The Drift series of roses are small front of the bed type plants that grow about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They sent ‘Apricot Drift’ and ‘Sweet Drift’ to represent this hopefully trouble free group of roses. Disease resistance is touted as excellent. Repeat bloom comes from the miniature roses and disease resistance from ground cover roses. Blooms are 1/1/2 inches across and blooms continuous. Glossy foliage is another attribute. ‘Apricot Drift’ blooms fade to some pink. ‘Sweet Drift’ blooms open medium pink and fade to light pink.

‘Tequila Gold’ has 3/1/2 inches wide gold blooms with above average disease resistance. Bright green foliage is attractive. Continuous bloom is another benefit on a Floribunda/landscape shrub reaching 5feet by 5 feet.  The plant is great on the west coast but may need extra attention on the east coast.

‘Sunshine Daydream’ is an AARS 2012 winner. The rose grows to 6 feet in height and 5 feet in width. The flowers average 3/1/2 inches wide and with double blooms that fall cleanly from the shrub. This plant grows on its own roots.  Blooms open light yellow and fade to creamy yellow.

New Plant Problems on Impatiens

I checked with the University of Florida on the use of Imidacloprid at the reduced rare of 0.235 percent concentration on citrus to control the pysillid that causes citrus greening. The product can be used on citrus up to 6 feet in height and must be applied 2 weeks before the new growth to be effective. There are reports of colony collapse to bee colonies because of this product. Nothing should be sprayed when bees are flying and pollinating plants. I still remain leery of this product with its systemic action.

A new foliar disease is killing Impatiens walleriana and interspecific hybrids with Impatiens walleriana as a parent. The New Guinea Impatiens, Impatiens hawkeri are very tolerant of the foliar diseases. Plasmopara obducens, Downy Mildew, is the causal agent causing the destruction of the Impatiens. Symptoms are yellow to pale green foliage, and mild mottling. Advanced symptoms include: Stunting of plant growth and malformed leaves and flower buds, Foliage is downward curling and distorted, wilting, plant collapse, severe defoliation. Management practices should include: Sanitation and scouting, Rotation of effective fungicides with different modes of action, Homeowner fungicides include: Concern Copper Soap Fungicide, Fertilome Broad Spectrum Landscape & Garden Fungicide, Monterey Agri-Fos, Ortho Max Garden Disease Control, Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide, Southern Ag Triple Action Neem Oil. Do not replant Impatiens into landscape beds where downy mildew was identified during the previous season.  You should water in the morning so foliage can dry out before evening.

Thanks to Margery Daughtrey of Cornell University, Syngenta, and Cheryl Ricker for bringing this to my attention.

Nesting Whiteflies

There is a new whitefly in town, the Nesting Whitefly, Paraleyrodes bondari. This new pest has the potential to equal or better the damage the spiral Whitefly is causing. Most whiteflies are found on the leaf undersides. Nesting whitefly occurs on both sides of the foliage and causes even more severe production of black sooty mold and sticky surfaces on the roof, paving, furniture, cars, boats and anything else under the Nesting Whitefly. The host range will be similar to the Spiral Whitefly. Host plants include: citrus, Ficus, avocado, hibiscus, Surinam cherry, gumbo limbo, coconut, vanilla, banana, and guava so far. This pest was just discovered and is rapidly getting established. This Whitefly is 1/3 the size of the Spiral Whitefly. Nesting Whitefly activity looks like a circle of white feathers that is very noticeable against the black sooty mold. Another worry about this whitefly is that it is active during the winter cool months indicating greater hardiness.

This Nesting Whitefly is controlled the same way as the other whiteflies. Trunk injections or soil drenches using Imidacloprid systemic insecticide will give good control for 8-9 months or longer. Products like Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed and Ortho Max. Native predators are the best long term solution. Aleuroctonus vittatus, (Eulophidae) is a tiny predatory wasp that is especially effective against the Whitefly. This wasp will attack the Whitefly and is effective when populations of the Whitefly are high.

Unfortunately, most people are not aware that they have a whitefly problem until the situation is very severe with black sooty mold and stick surfaces.

Spiral Whitefly Natural Controls

Softscapes, Landscape for Living, recently released native ladybeetles, Delphastus cataliniae and native green lacewings, Chrsoperla carnea, and Chrysoperla rufilabris to feed on the highly invasive spiral whitefly which is causing great damage to both native and exotic trees and shrubs in South Florida. Pesticides kill both good and bad insects and affect our drinking water and health.

Ladybeetles are voracious predators and feed on whitefly, aphids, mites, insect eggs, scale and mealy bug. The release site should be thoroughly watered before releasing the ladybeetles in the evening.  Flowering plants that produce pollen are helpful. Ladybeetles will even eat honeydew. The results at Softscapes were amazing with ladybeetles going to work right away on the spiral whitefly.

Green lacewings are nocturnal predators feeding on whitefly, aphids, scale, and mealy bug The larval form are the aggressive predators. Eggs and adults are also available.

The spiral whitefly attacks many plants. Favorites include gumbo limbo, coconut palm, white bird of paradise, banana, and many others. I did notice that plants with fuzzy leaf undersides like silver buttonwood do not seem to be affected with this pest.

Softscapes is located at

19 SW 19^th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The phone number is 954-463-7404.