Vines

This is a brief listing of some common problems that may affect specific species. Weather, climate, seasonal and stress related conditions will sometimes influence a plants likelihood of being affected by insects and disease, it is always good to know which insects may affect a particular plant so that timely measures can be taken to correct problems. This list covers plants that are mainly planted and used in zones 3 - 6.

Actinidia species & cultivars - Hardy Kiwi - No serious insects or disease problems.

Akebia quinata - Five-Leaf Akebia - No serious insects or disease problems, but subject to San Jose scale.

Aristolochia durior - Dutchman’s Pipe - Subject to damage from the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, which feeds on and defoliates the plant. The feeding caterpillar is two inches long, brown and has four rows of orange spots and soft horn-like projections. The adults are blue-green butterflies with white spots on the under margins of the fore wings with yellow and orange spots on the hind wings.

Campsis radicans - Trumpet Creeper - Subject to blight, leaf spots, powdery mildew, planthoppers and scales.

Celastrus species - Bittersweet - Subject to leaf spots, powdery mildew, crown gall, stem canker, bean and spirea aphids, euonymus, oyster shell and san jose scales. Despite this list, bittersweet is a vigorous vine that is hard to kill.

Clematis species, hybrids & cultivars - One must keep an eye on these beauties, but they are well worth the effort. Subject to leaf spot, stem rot, black blister and clematis blister beetles, clematis borer, tarnished plant bug, omnivorous looper caterpillar, two-spotted mite, root-knot nematode, scale, weevil and whitefly.

Euonymus fortunei cultivars - Wintercreeper - The most destructive insects are scales, and there are many kinds. Euonymus fortunei, Euonymus f. var. coloratus, and Euonymus f. var. radicans are the most susceptible. Also susceptible to aphids, thrips, anthracnose, crown gall, leaf spots and powdery mildew.

Hedera helix - Ivy - Subject to leaf spots, canker, powdery mildew, aphids, black-blister beetle, caterpillars, grape mealybugs, two-spotted spider and privet mites, eight-spotted forester moth and various scales. Spider mites and leaf spots are the most serious.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris - Climbing Hydrangea - No serious insect or disease problems.

Lonicera species & cultivars - Honeysuckle - Subject to quite a few insects and disease, including various aphids, fuller rose and potato flea beetles, four-lined plant bug, omnivorous looper caterpillar, leaf rollers, mealybugs, moths, honeysuckle sawfly, various scales, fall webworm, leaf blight and powdery mildew. Aphids and Powdery mildew seem to be the most troublesome. Lonicera periclymenum ‘ Graham Thomas’ seems to be the most trouble free.

Parthenocissus species - Virginia Creeper & Boston Ivy - Subject to canker, downy mildew, powdery mildew, leaf spots, wilt, rose chafer and japanese beetle, grapevine looper caterpillar, various moths and scales, and several other insects. The most serious problem is japanesse beetle and the Virginia Creeper leafhopper which can turn the foliage gray to completely white from it’s feeding. Despite this list and the fact that these two insects tend to feed on its foliage, this plant is tough to kill.

Polygonum aubertii - Silver Lace Vine - Subject to Japanese beetle.

Rosa species & cultivars - Climbing Roses - Subject to quite a few or should I say many insects and diseases, but roses still remain a favorite with many of us. The following list, is but a few of them. Black-spot leaf disease, powdery mildew, cankers, rusts, viruses, various aphids, beetles, borers, caterpillars, leafhoppers, mites, nematodes, sawflys, scales, thrips and many more. Some of the newer hybrids and cultivars show better resistance to the diseases such as with the Meidiland™ series of roses. If you want roses, they will require some degree of work in order to maintain their appearance and to provide an abundance of flowers.

Vitis - Grape - Subject to an array of insects and disease that include black rot, mildew, aphids, various beetles, including the Japanese beetle which can do serious damage to the leaves, borers, bugs, leafhoppers, mealybugs, midges, mites, moths, nematodes, scales, and several others. Regardless of whether you are growing this vine for its fruit or not, a consistent spray program should be implemented to keep them looking their best.

Wisteria species - Seldom is this vine bothered, but it is still subject to stem canker, powdery mildew, crown gall, tobacco mosaic virus, beetles, butterfly, leaf roller, mealybugs, various scales, black vine weevil, and fall webworm.

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