Boxwood pests are a permanent problem for all those who have designed their garden or a park with the attractive Buxus. In addition to the boxwood borer, which has only recently become widespread in Europe, there are a number of other boxwood pests that can cause serious damage to the green shrubs. Sometimes a boxwood pest can cause the entire plant to die. It is therefore all the more important that the right measures are taken immediately in the event of a boxwood pest infestation. To do this, it is important to quickly identify the different types of boxwood pests. Spider mites, caterpillars, aphids and co. are known as typical plant pests, but not all of them pose a real danger to the boxwood and require the same type of control. Therefore, we would like to introduce the various boxwood pests in more detail below and also present some suitable countermeasures to combat them. If you want to save yourself the trouble of controlling caterpillars on the boxwood or other pests, we recommend that you alternatively opt for a Bloombux®. This is not attacked by typical boxwood pests.

 

Many harmful organisms cannot harm the Bloombux®

A whole range of different pests can be dangerous to a boxwood. First and foremost, however, there are four pests that you can deal with on these plants:

Boxwood leaf flea

 

Boxwood gall midge

 

Boxwood spider mites

 

Comma scale aphids

In addition, various types of fungal infestation are common in boxwood. Especially when boxwood is used as a hedge plant, pests and fungal diseases can spread particularly quickly. This is not only annoying in private gardens, but also in larger parks. If you choose a Bloombux® instead of a typical boxwood, you will not have to worry about boxwood pests and diseases. This is just one of the many advantages that the Bloombux® has over the classic boxwood.

 

Buchsbaum Pilz

Boxwood pest Boxwood leaf flea: Bloombux® is free of infestation

While the box tree borer, often referred to as the box tree caterpillar, has only found its way to northern Europe in recent years, the box tree leaf flea has been at home in this country for much longer. As a boxwood pest, it is widespread in Europe and mainly attacks the young shoots of the boxwood. Accordingly, an infestation of the boxwood with the leaf flea is mainly observed in spring. The infestation can be recognised by the spoonlike curved leaves that curl more or less inwards. This abnormal appearance results from the fact that the larvae of the boxwood leaf flea suck on the leaves.

Inside the curled-up leaves there are usually waxy accumulations in which the larvae sit. It is precisely in these places that the leaf flea later lays its eggs, which in turn hatch the next year and damage the boxwood. As soon as the fleas have left their larval stage, they are easily recognisable on the plant. At the end of the summer, they lay their eggs for the following year's offspring. The boxwood leaf flea subsequently dies. If you do not want to worry about whether your boxwood is infested with boxwood leaf fleas, you should opt for a plant alternative and buy a Bloombux® - with this, boxwood leaf fleas do not stand a chance.

 

Bloombux Laub

Boxwood pest Boxwood gall midges: Bloombux® is free of infestation

Infestation of the boxwood with so-called boxwood gall midges can be detected, especially towards the end of the warm season, by yellowish spots on the leaves of the plant. The untrained eye often suspects a fungal infestation in this context, but instead the box tree gall midges are the culprits. The box tree gall midges, which only live for a few days, leave their eggs on the box tree, which in the larval stage preferably eat through the young leaves of the plant. In doing so, they leave numerous cavities in the leaves and, in the case of heavy infestation, the boxwood can significantly lose vitality and decorative value.  So that you do not have to worry about an infestation of box tree gall midges in the future, you should rather make use of the many advantages that Bloombux® offers you, because it is also safe with regard to box tree gall midges.

Boxwood pest Boxwood spider mites: Bloombux® is free of infestation

Spider mites are well known as plant pests in this country, but boxwood spider mites have only been found in Germany for a few years and were probably introduced from the North American continent. The damage is very conspicuous: infested plants have leaves with a yellow and white speckled surface. As the infestation grows, the leaves become lighter and lighter until they finally fall off completely. Unlike caterpillars in boxwood, spider mites are practically invisible to the naked eye. This also applies to the eggs of the boxwood pests, from which the larvae hatch in spring. These then eat their way through the leaves before later, in the adult stage, laying up to thirty eggs per mite on the undersides of the leaves. The specific boxwood spider mites do not pose a threat to the Bloombux®, because as a rhododendron it has typical characteristics of the boxwood, but is not sensitive to typical pests of this plant species.

INFO: Our Bloombux® not only impresses with its insensitivity to boxwood caterpillars and other pests, but also scores with its great attractiveness. The Bloombux® produces striking flowers that are visually convincing. It is also easy to care for.

Boxwood pest: Comma scale aphids

Comma scale aphids are one of the few boxwood pests that can also infest other types of plants. For example, they can be found on various types of fruit, oaks and also poplars. In the boxwood itself, they cause severe growth impairment and can even be responsible for extensive shoot death in the long term. This boxwood pest is relatively easy to recognise on the plant due to its dark-coloured shield, despite its rather small size. The larvae hatch in late spring after they have overwintered well protected on the boxwood. Immediately afterwards, they start sucking on leaves and shoots.

Bloombux Blatt

Bloombux® is free from specific boxwood pests: What helps against boxwood pests?

If you want to protect your boxwood from pests, you should usually act as quickly as possible to be successful. A pest infestation that is detected early can be treated effectively. However, the consequences become worse the longer the pest is active. Especially if several generations of boxwood spider mites or boxwood leaf fleas have infested the plant, the damage can no longer be concealed and the plant loses vitality and attractiveness. There are various options for the correct control: Shoots infested with the comma scale aphid should be removed at the end of winter before the larvae of the boxwood pest have hatched. In case of an infestation with the boxwood gall midge, on the other hand, it is sufficient to remove the infested leaves, especially in the early stages. This should also preferably be done in spring. Against boxwood spider mites and the boxwood leaf flea, on the other hand, only plant protection products are usually effective, but these must be used in well-dosed doses and in strict compliance with the application instructions.

Info: Biological remedies can also be used against some pests. Two types of predatory mites can be used against boxwood spider mites.

Conclusion: Buy Bloombux® and be spared from boxwood pests

Even though the boxwood is actually considered a robust plant, it is susceptible to various diseases and pests. Apart from rather harmless boxwood pests such as the boxwood leaf flea or the boxwood gall midge, others such as the caterpillars of the boxwood borer or also the comma scale aphid and the boxwood spider mite can cause considerable damage. However, you will have no problems with the typical boxwood pests with our Bloombux®. Although it looks almost like a classic box tree, it is actually a specially cultivated rhododendron. With Bloombux® you benefit from the advantages of a normal box tree. You can use the Bloombux® as a single plant or as a hedge. But you get much more with the Bloombux®: It is resistant to typical boxwood pests such as the boxwood borer as well as to boxwood spider mites, boxwood leaf fleas etc. Accordingly, you can enjoy the Bloombux® for much longer without worries.