Filter by plant type, visible issue and pest characteristics. Each record separates observation, confirmation and remedy so a symptom is never mistaken for a diagnosis.
12 matching records
InsectCroton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Scale insects and mealybugs on Croton
Sticky leaves, sooty mold and decline
What to look for
Brown or pale attached scales, white cottony insects in leaf axils, sticky honeydew, black sooty growth and gradual yellowing or leaf drop.
How to confirm
Inspect stems, petioles, new growth and both leaf surfaces with magnification. Confirm live insects beneath covers before treating; sooty mold alone is secondary evidence.
Responsible remedy
For light infestations, isolate container plants, prune badly infested tissue and wash or hand-remove insects. Low-impact options include a thorough application of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil labeled for ornamental Croton; repeat only at the label interval and test a small area first. For persistent infestations, a licensed professional may select a labeled systemic or contact product while protecting pollinators and beneficial insects.
Representative branded products
Bonide All Seasons Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil — only where the current label permits ornamental use
Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap — only where the current label permits ornamental use
Active ingredient: mineral oil · potassium salts of fatty acids
MiteCroton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Spider mites on Croton
Stippled, bronzed or webbed foliage
What to look for
Fine pale stippling progresses to bronzing, curling and leaf drop; fine webbing may appear between leaves and stems during heavier infestations.
How to confirm
Tap suspect foliage over white paper and look for moving specks with magnification. Separate mite injury from thrips, nutrient stress and sun scorch.
Responsible remedy
Rinse foliage, correct drought stress and avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum insecticides that remove predators. Use labeled insecticidal soap or horticultural oil for confirmed light infestations with complete underside coverage. Severe cases may require a miticide specifically labeled for the site; rotate modes of action rather than repeating one product.
Representative branded products
Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap — where the ornamental label applies
Bonide All Seasons Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil — where the ornamental label applies
Active ingredient: potassium salts of fatty acids · mineral oil
InsectCroton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Thrips on Croton
Scarred or distorted new foliage
What to look for
New leaves may emerge distorted or streaked with silvery scars and tiny dark fecal specks; flowers and tightly folded growth can shelter the insects.
How to confirm
Tap new growth over white paper, inspect with magnification and use sticky cards as a monitoring aid. Confirm the pest because mites and exposure injury can look similar.
Responsible remedy
Remove heavily damaged tips, reduce weed hosts and preserve predators. A labeled insecticidal soap can suppress exposed insects; spinosad may be considered only where the exact ornamental and site label permits it. Repeat monitoring because eggs inside plant tissue escape many contact treatments.
Representative branded products
Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew — only where the current label lists the ornamental use and target pest
Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap — where the ornamental label applies
Active ingredient: spinosad · potassium salts of fatty acids
Disease / culturalCroton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Croton root rot and water stress
Wilt, yellowing and leaf drop
What to look for
Plants wilt despite wet soil, yellow, drop leaves or develop dark soft roots and lower-stem decline. Drought stress can also wilt and drop foliage but occurs with a dry root ball.
How to confirm
Check moisture through the full root zone, drainage, planting depth and root condition before assuming a pathogen. Submit a sample when decline continues after correcting water management.
Responsible remedy
Stop automatic daily watering, restore drainage and allow oxygen back into the root zone. Remove irreversibly decayed roots or plants and sanitize reused containers. No household tonic reverses dead roots; a labeled fungicide is justified only after the disease and site are confirmed.
Representative branded products
No pesticide is the first response; correct drainage and irrigation
A professional may select a labeled ornamental fungicide after diagnosis
Active ingredient: Cultural correction first; label and diagnosis determine any fungicide
InsectSt. Augustinegrass
Southern chinch bug
Brown or expanding patches
What to look for
Irregular yellow-to-brown patches that often expand along hot pavement edges.
How to confirm
Use flotation tests at several points along the boundary between healthy and damaged turf.
Responsible remedy
Correct irrigation and thatch problems; preserve predators; spot-treat only confirmed active areas and rotate insecticide modes of action.
Representative branded products
Spectracide Triazicide Ready-to-Spray — where the current label lists chinch bugs
Active ingredient: gamma-cyhalothrin; formulation varies
DiseaseSt. Augustinegrass
Gray leaf spot
Spotted blades and scorched appearance
What to look for
Oblong tan-to-gray lesions with dark margins; severe infection can give turf a scorched cast.
How to confirm
Inspect individual blades and rule out drought, insects and chemical injury; laboratory diagnosis may be appropriate.
Responsible remedy
Reduce prolonged leaf wetness, irrigate early, avoid excess nitrogen and improve mowing practices. Use fungicide only when diagnosis and label support it.
Representative branded products
Scotts DiseaseEx — label lists gray leaf spot
BioAdvanced Fungus Control for Lawns — label lists gray leaf spot
Expanding rings or patches, often during prolonged wet conditions; affected leaves may detach near the base.
How to confirm
Evaluate weather, pattern and leaf bases; distinguish from take-all root rot and irrigation problems.
Responsible remedy
Limit leaf wetness, correct overwatering and avoid unnecessary nitrogen. Preventive or early-curative fungicides must match the turf, disease and timing on the label.
Representative branded products
Scotts DiseaseEx
BioAdvanced Fungus Control for Lawns
Active ingredient: azoxystrobin · propiconazole
DiseaseSt. Augustinegrass · Bermudagrass
Take-all root rot
Weak roots and irregular decline
What to look for
Irregular yellowing and thinning with dark, shortened or decayed roots.
How to confirm
Examine roots and stolons; submit a representative sample when symptoms overlap other problems.
Responsible remedy
Correct drainage, irrigation, pH and cultural stress. Professional diagnosis is strongly recommended before a fungicide program.
Representative branded products
Professional products containing azoxystrobin or related labeled actives may be considered only after diagnosis
Active ingredient: product and site label determine suitability
Damage follows head spacing, straight lines or obstructions rather than biological spread.
How to confirm
Run each zone manually and compare catch-can output and soil moisture in healthy and affected areas.
Responsible remedy
Repair or realign heads, correct pressure and scheduling, and avoid adding unnecessary pesticide or fungicide.
Representative branded products
No pesticide indicated
Active ingredient: Correct the irrigation fault
Product names are examples—not prescriptions.
Registrations, formulations and labels change. Confirm the exact product is registered for your site, turf species and target pest. Read and follow the entire current label; the label is the law. Never use a product because the brand name appears here if your container label does not list the use.
Restricted-use products and treatments requiring specialized licensing should be handled by an appropriately licensed professional.
