Backyard Gardener

VOLUSISA COUNTY EXTE NSION M A Y 2 0 1 3

IN THIS the host . The '' palmetto wee- ISSUE Palmetto vil, has been reported Joe Sewards from coastal regions of Palmetto UF, IFAS Volusia County Extension South Carolina south Weevils… Urban Horticulture Agent through the Florida Page 1 Keys, and west into Become a Pollina- Last week, at the UF, IFAS Volusia coastal Texas. It is also tor-Keeper… County Exten- present throughout the Page 2 sion Office, we state of Florida. had to cut down Figure 2 Recipes From the an established Damage Garden… Page 3 Canary Island The symptoms of a palmetto infestation D a t e P a l m vary, but commonly involve a general, of- MG May Calendar Figure 1 (Phoenix ca- ten irreversible decline of younger . of Events… nariensis) valued at approximately Page 3 In palm species with upright leaves, such $15,000 because it was infested with the as the Canary Island , the older Pachypodium Palmetto . The Palmetto Weevil, leaves begin to droop during the early rutenber- ( cruentatus Fabricius) is stages of infestation but quickly collapse gianum… Page 4 the largest weevil in North America and is thereafter. As the infestation progresses, native to Florida. Until recently it was the the larval feeding damage and associated l MG Class of only species of palm weevil in the conti- rot is so severe that the integrity of the 2013,,, Page 5 & 6 nental United States. Once, the palmetto crown is compromised and the top of the weevil was considered a minor pest, at- Dianthus… palm falls over. tacking only severely wounded and dying Page 7 trees. However, it is now known to be a Can You Name pest of stressed nursery and transplanted This?... Page 7 palms as well as apparently healthy Canary Island date palms, Bismarkia palms (( nobili) and Latan palms ( spp.). The adults of this species display various color and size variations as well (Figure 1).

What are Weevils? Figure 3. killed by Weevils are a family of that has Palmetto Weevils their mandibles at the end of a sometimes very long rostrum (a snout-like projection Continued on Page 8 of the head) (Figure 2). While some adults The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other feed outside the plant, the larvae (or services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, grubs), which have relatively large mandi- marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida bles and are legless, feed cryptically within A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commis- sioners Cooperating. Become a Pollinator-Keeper and wasps, however, lay their eggs, seal up the cav- ity and leave never to return. They do not have in-

stincts to protect their brood. Being a beekeeper is interesting, fascinating and re- warding. However, beekeeping is not an activity in What do you need to become a pollinator-keeper? The which most people wish to participate. There is good first requirement is to have food for the pollinators. news though. You can become a pollinator-keeper. This is easy… just have a garden with lots of blooming Being a pollinator-keeper requires little work and little for as much of the year as possible. to no cost. Give it a try. The second requirement is to build a bee nest which is What is a pollinator-keeper? It is someone who takes also called a bee box. Bee nests can be made from un- action to help pollinators thrive. The end result is hav- treated lumber, old logs, bundles of bamboo or paper ing more pollination going on in straws. The lumber can be scraps laying around or your garden. There are a few ways inexpensive untreated lumber from to become a pollinator-keeper. the lumber yard. The pictures in One is to grow a butterfly garden the article shows one simple de- which will be a topic for a future sign using 2 X 6 lumber which has column. Another tactic is to pro- holes drilled and are simple glued vide nest boxes for solitary native together with waterproof wood pollinators. Solitary native polli- glue. The other is an old log with nators are bees and wasps that do holes drilled in the ends. not live in colonies. They lay eggs The nest can be mounted to a tree, Photo by Ed Williams and move on. Without a nest to your house, shed, or pole in your defend the solitary native pollina- yard. The orientation is not important. Put it in an tors prove to be non-aggressive unless treated harshly. area where the nest box will receive some or full Florida is home to 320 species of bees. These bees shade. Put up more than one around your yard and see come in all shapes and sizes. which location generates the Their common trait is that largest number of pollinators. they pollinate. Honey bees When drilling the holes do not are one of the species but drill all the way through. Stop are not native to the Ameri- just short of coming out the cas. Honey bees were other side. Use hole sizes brought to the new world by from 1/8 to 3/8 inch. the early Spanish explorers and the native Americans There will not be large referred to them as white swarms of bees and wasps man‟s flies. around the bee box. A few will come an go over time. There are also many species Photo by Ed Williams Keep in mind it may take a of wasps native to Florida. while for the nesting site to The solitary wasps are not aggressive. Why have become used. May is a good time to start. them in your garden? Wasps predate and parasitize other and arachnids. They are actually a non- For further information check out the following web toxic way to control the „bad‟ insects. For example, sites: mud daubers hunt spiders to feed to their brood. Many Pollinator Partnership... http://www.pollinator.org/ wasps hunt or parasitize caterpillars. The adult wasps feed on nectar but their brood eat meat. How conven- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service… http:// ient. www.fws.gov/pollinators/PollinatorPages/ YourHelp.html#bee Unlike honey bees, bumble bees, paper wasps, yellow jackets and bald-faced hornets, solitary bees and wasps UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory do not live in a colony. The stinging insects that do Native Buzz Project… h t t p : / / live in colonies are defensive and will protect their www.ufnativebuzz.com nest, brood (babies) and food stores. Solitary bees Ed Williams Recipes From The Garden

Southwestern Bean & Corn Salad 1 15 oz can pinto beans rinsed and drained 1 cup corn (from your garden) 1 red bell pepper chopped (from your garden) 4 green onions chopped (from your garden) 2 TBS honey (from the nectar of your plants) 2 TBS cider vinegar 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp mustard 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine first 4 items in a large bowl. Blend vinegar and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in mustard, cumin and cayenne. Drizzle over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover, refrigerate 2 hours. Serve on lettuce leaves if desired. To change up the salad use different types of beans. Kidney beans and cannellini beans work well.

This recipe from the gourmet kitchen of Chris Wilson

May Calendar of Events Check VMS for Details

Soil Lab 5/2/2013 Pest Control Part III (1 CEU) 5/2/2013 Basic Lawn Care/Lemonade lecture (2 CEUs) 5/4/2013 Q&A at the Spring Fling at Sugar Mill Gardens 5/5/2013 speaker needed: NSB library series 5/6/2013 Discovery Field Trip 5/7/2013 Demo Garden workday 5/8/2013 Soil Lab 5/9/2013 speaker needed: Q & A session for Edgewater Landing Retirement Comm. 5/9/2013 Discovery Field Trip 5/9/2013 Sugar Mill Garden Q&A and workday 5/15/2013 Budget Committee meeting 5/15/2013 Soil Lab 5/16/2013 Antique Roses & Rose Care (1 CEU) 5/16/2013 MG CEU Day (2 CEUs) 5/16/2013 Basic Tree Care & Proper Tree Planting (1 CEU) 5/16/2013 Soil Lab 5/23/2013 Soil Lab 5/30/2013 Preparing Your Trees for the upcoming hurricane season (1 CEU) 5/30/2013 Pachypodium rutenbergianum Now that I have given you all the above infor- mation I will tell you of personal experience Pachypodium rutenbergianum is a species of with this plant. I have two outside in my court- Pachypodium native to Madagascar. This de- yard. One is grown from and is now about ciduous, succulent tree is from the family Apocy- 6ft tall in a clay pot. The other is a cutting less naceae. name comes from the Greek than 2 feet also in a clay pot. The words meaning “thick foot”. seedling already has his leaves The plant can on average and looks like he is awake and reach 6ft to 15ft and in ideal ready to grow but the cutting is habitat and over a long period still awaiting its leaves for this may grow to 30ft.and spread year. They both came through 3ft up to 8ft. The plant has the winter with no damage, just a short branches and ½ inch slowing of growth. They thrive long spines that do not repro- with the Halifax River on one duce so over time the silvery side and the Ocean on the other. brown truck may become They are both exposed to salt smooth. The leaves are 3 to 5 spray, wind, and an irrigation inches long and narrow with a system with salt intrusion. I do lighter green vein growing water with city water. Neither down the middle. They grow has shown any damage due to on tips of the trunk and this environment. I did not cover branches and hang downward. or bring them in for the winter so The is large, white I feel that they have the ability to with yellow center and strong perfume. The tree adapt. My soil allows for good drainage and I produces blooms late winter to spring. Ruten- use a Leca top dressing to allow for further bergianum requires full sun and plenty of water drainage. These plants are part of a collection of during warmer months and less water during Pachypodiums that I have growing and seem to cool months. It does not like to be dried out be- be one of tween watering but, as a succulent, can tolerate the more drought conditions. r a p i d The plant prefers tem- growers. peratures greater than They are 55 degrees but can tol- a unique erate low 30‟s for short plant that period of time. It may it is at- be grown as a house t r a c t i v e plant as long as it is e i t h e r placed in a warm, hu- with its mid, and sunny window leaves or not. The flower is beautiful with a location. If grown as a great scent. They thrive in pots and require little houseplant it will tend to be deciduous. It can care. I feed them about three times in the sum- either be grown from seed or from cutting. If mer and keep the pots supplied with worms. removing a branch, allow to dry 24 to 48 hours They have adapted well to my garden and are a before planting. Seedlings grow quickly com- change from other Pachypodiums in that their pared to other Pachypodium species. No serious flower is white versus yellow. or disease problems have been noted. Myrna Moore Master Gardener Class of 2013 Seedlings, Sprouts, NEWBIES

Kathy Berlinski Billie Birdsong Carolyn Bolt Barbara Caslow

Marlene Druschel Patsy Graham Suzanne Hartness Linda Hogan

Rick Jones Sue Mellin Eretta Morris Lisa Morris

Susan Rowley Patti Shawen Jody Skeen Glyn Slay Master Gardener Class of 2013 Seedlings, Sprouts, NEWBIES

Lynn Stackhouse Joanne Thomas Ed Williams Samantha Wolf

Dick Wood Graciela Wood Karen Zumwalde Martha Bush

Master Gardener Mission Statement

To train a core of volunteers to assist the county agent in delivering information to residents on how to design, plant and care for their plants and landscapes in a Florida- Friendly way. sun daily. In our area they should be planted in Sep- Dianthus tember-November. They are not prone to diseases but may only live about two years. You may think of Dianthus as just „pinks‟, common The „pinks‟ include the Barbatus species and the Del- and sort of unexciting. It‟s actually part of a genus, toides or maiden pinks. Sweet William is a Barbatus. the Caryophyllaceae, of over 300 plants included in a Another species, the Chinensis (native to China and very diverse order, the Caryophyllales, which in- Mongolia), tolerate more heat and frost. While taller cludes plants such as the Bougainvillea and Four-O- Dianthus are good for containers to place in front of Clock (Nyctaginaceae), Plumbago and the Sundew low growing shrubs, the shorter ones like the Del- and Pitcher Plant plus the mostly tropical or sub- toides are perfect for rock gardens. These are the blu- tropical Amaranth Family with its Celosia and Jo- ish-cast plants with the linear spiky looking leaves seph‟s Coat species and that grow as a mat. They can even the family of Cacta- make a stunning ground ceae. There are up to 33 cover or be used among families in this order. The pavers with great effect. The order is based on the ever popular Carnation being located in the center (Dianthus caryophyllus) of the fruit. The family grows best in zone 5. which includes Dianthus, Today the pinks come in a the Caryophyllaceae, is range of color, from red to called the Carnation or purple—just about any color Pink family, in reference to you would want except blue. the which are filled If you are a yellow fancier, around the edges of the Dianthus knappi is the „pinked‟. Though they are normally pink in color as only true yellow species. There are great reasons for well, today they come in many other colors. Baby‟s choosing Dianthus for your garden. The only nega- Breath is in this family as well as many weeds such tive is that deadheading is required to maintain heavy as chickweed. The Amaranth family is a sister family blooming. But that is not unusual for many flowering to the Caryophyllaceae. plants. Native to Europe and Asia, most Dianthus are short- lived herbaceous perennials. They like slightly alka- Rebecca Turner line soil and good drainage with about six hours of

Can You Name This?

Photo by Ed Williams Photo by Ed Williams

Answers on Page 9 petioles and prepare a cocoon from palm fibers. After Palmetto Weevils surrounding themselves with the cocoon, the larvae Continued from Page 1 enter a pre-pupal stage, then a pupal stage. After a few weeks, an adult emerges from the pupal case and This condition is termed "popped neck." If the palm may immediately break free of the cocoon or wait is pulled apart at this stage, larvae, cocoons, and even within the cocoon for several days to weeks before adults may be found within the crown region. Early emerging. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult, detection of weevil infestation is difficult, and treat- takes about 84 days. ment even in the early stages of infestation may be too late to save the tree depending upon the amount How do Palms Become Infested with Palmetto of damage to the apical meristem. Weevils? If you have a healthy palm tree that hasn‟t suffered an Host Range injury or some other form of (usually acute) stress, Several other palms, most of them introduced spe- the chances of it being attacked by the Palmetto Wee- cies, have been observed with larval infestations. vil are slight. If you have an older palm (30 years old These include the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix or older) that looks like it is declining, the chances canariensis), Medjool Palm (Phoenix dactylifera), increase. Also, the weevil seems to be attracted to Bismarck palm (Bismarckia nobilis sp., even healthy Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix sp., Royal palms (Roystonea sp.), La- spp.), Bismarck Palms (Bismarckia nobilis) and a few tan palms (Latania spp.), palm (Cocos others. Healthy Sabal Palms () and nucifera ), Florida thatch palm (Thrinax radiata and other native species don‟t seem to be particularly at- sp. tractive to Palmetto Weevils.

It is important to understand that, in undisturbed loca- Research suggests that volatile odors emanating from tions, palms are rarely observed with palmetto weevil stressed, wounded or dying palms are attractive to infestations. Trees struck by lightning have been ob- palmetto weevil adults. Several compounds known served with subsequent weevil infestations. The pal- collectively as "palm esters" have been found to be metto weevil has, in recent years, caused consider- attractive to Palmetto able damage to some newly transplanted or otherwise Weevils. In addition, a stressed palms as well as apparently healthy Canary pheromone produced Island date (Phoenix canariensis), Bismarck and released by male (Bismarckia nobilis), and Latan (Latania spp.) palms. weevils attracts other male and female pal- Life Cycle metto weevils. Neither The palmetto weevil has a complete life cycle: with the “palm esters” nor an egg, several larval instars, pre-pupal, pupal, and the pheromones are very attractive by themselves. adult stages. Eggs are But when put together, they are synergistic, attracting laid in the bases of many adult palmetto weevils. leaves or in wounds in a host palm. In the labora- As the story may go, a palmetto weevil adult male tory, a palmetto weevil flying amongst many palms locates an attractive odor female will lay an aver- given off by a suitable, stressed, or dying palm. He age of 207 eggs in her flies upwind towards the odor source and eventually Figure 4 lifetime. Eggs hatch in lands on the potential host palm. As he begins to feed about three days and be- he releases the aggregation pheromone that is attrac- gin to feed on palm tissue. As they molt (grow and tive to other weevils at long distances. Other weevils shed their cuticle) the larvae (Figure 4) have an in- fly towards the pheromone source, and as they get creasingly larger appetite and tend to feed primarily closer, the pheromone/"palm esters" mixture takes in the soft tissue surrounding the apical meristem. over to guide them to the host. Mature grubs migrate to the periphery of the stem or Continued on Page 9 3. Avoid planting species of palm trees that ap- Palmetto Weevils pear to be particularly susceptible to Palmetto Continued from Page 8 Weevils. 4. Call your local UF, IFAS County Extension As more males land on the host, they also release Office if you have questions or need further pheromone attracting even more males and females. information. Once a population has gathered on the tree, mating and egg laying take place.

Management First, trees should be grown using cultural practices Can You Name that promote vigor. This means following proper fer- tilization and irrigation guidelines. You can call your local, UF, IFAS Extension Office for the latest infor- This? mation on palm care. Great care should be taken to ensure the health of these trees. Secondly, wounding of trees, such as by pruning (specifically, over- Answers! pruning), should be avoided. Following these two steps may help to prevent an infestation. If trees are Flower is that of the Okra plant. The critter infested with palmetto weevils, there is little if any is the caterpillar of the Southern Flannel chance of saving them. Therefore, sanitation, as in Moth. Do not touch the caterpillar it has a removing and destroying infested plant material, is crucial in preventing or reducing subsequent infesta- nasty sting. tions to adjacent palms.

Insecticidal treatment of trees infested with the pal- metto weevil is difficult owing to problems with de- tecting a weevil infestation before lethal damage is done to the crown. The best recourse is to cut down infested palms and destroy them before adults emerge from the tree. Prophylactic treatment of recently transplanted palms with insecticides is an option, but the costs can quickly become prohibitive unless only a few trees are to be protected. Curative and preventa- tive treatments with systemic neonicitinoid insecti- cides are possible, but require vigilance and persis- tence. Again, for the latest UF, IFAS recommenda- tions, call your local UF, IFAS County Extension of- fice or, call a certified, consulting arborist in your area.

In Conclusion……. In hopes of helping some of you to avoid our fate here, at the UF, IFAS Volusia County Extension Of- fice, remember: 1. Avoid injury to your valuable palm trees. 2. Don‟t “over-prune “palm trees. The common “hurricane cut” is not necessary or recom- mended by the UF, IFAS Extension Service.