Scots pine - fungus or parasite?

[takira]

Hi all,

New to bonsai - it'll be a year this months since I got my first. This little Scots pine was acquired from a local grower mid-April and has been doing well since, but this week I noticed spots of white fuzz on a number (though not all) of the needles - the larger white-fuzz spots have a small brown dot on them, making me wonder if I'm dealing with some sort of parasite. I have other pines (Mugo and JBP) that have been on the same bench as this guy and don't have similar lesions, and he's now been separated from them. There was a small area of white/grey fuzz extending downward from the surface when I elevated it from the pot, so I'm guessing this may be a fungus but I just don't know. The plant appears otherwise healthy but I'm concerned as I head into the winter - I'm in southeastern Michigan and it (along with the rest of my outdoor bonsai) will be moving into my garage once temperatures drop below freezing.

Fingers crossed for photos to attach - new to the board format, sorry for any mistakes!

 

[Paradox]

Are they fuzzy?
Hard to see in the pictures but it looks like scale to me which are little shell like things, not fuzzy

Fuzz in the roots is mycorrhizae, not a fungus. That is good.

 

[takira]

I can't get a very good picture of the lesions, I'm afraid. The small yellow-brown spots are at the point of the white areas - rather like a candy corn that was orange at the tip and white the rest of the way. There is one needle that has a series of the tiny yellow-brown spots without the white stuff associated with them.

 

[takira]

Ah, now that you've mentioned scale, it does look rather like: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5351723.pdf

 

[Paradox]

I think you have scale and if there are fuzzy things, could be wooly adegids.

Can't be sure without a better picture but I'd treat it for those and see what happens

 

[Potawatomi13]

Suspicion of mealy bugs. Highly unwelcome pests. Personally use Insecticidal Soap to get rid of these. Usually takes 2 applications 1 to 2 weeks apart.

 

[Dav4]

Hi all,

New to bonsai - it'll be a year this months since I got my first. This little Scots pine was acquired from a local grower mid-April and has been doing well since, but this week I noticed spots of white fuzz on a number (though not all) of the needles - the larger white-fuzz spots have a small brown dot on them, making me wonder if I'm dealing with some sort of parasite. I have other pines (Mugo and JBP) that have been on the same bench as this guy and don't have similar lesions, and he's now been separated from them. There was a small area of white/grey fuzz extending downward from the surface when I elevated it from the pot, so I'm guessing this may be a fungus but I just don't know. The plant appears otherwise healthy but I'm concerned as I head into the winter - I'm in southeastern Michigan and it (along with the rest of my outdoor bonsai) will be moving into my garage once temperatures drop below freezing.

Fingers crossed for photos to attach - new to the board format, sorry for any mistakes!

Mugo and Scots are 100% cold hardy pretty much everywhere throughout lower MI. I'd find a protected place outside for them to overwinter. The JBP is borderline so I'd bring them in once temps are falling into the mid to lower 20's F- around Thanksgiving for me. As far as the issue with your Scots, the pictures aren't clear enough for an ID, though I think I see scale on some needles.

 

[takira]

I overwintered a juniper in my window well last winter and it did well - maybe the Mugo and Scots will take up residence there.

Looking at pictures of scale, I think that's what I'm dealing with - in any case, it's bugs. >_> I trimmed off the most affected branch (it's going to be literati one day so a little sparsity won't do any harm) and any needles with visible lesions on them, and have an insecticide spray on order - I'm guessing it would be wise to treat all the plants that have been sharing a bench with this one? I've got it separated for now just in case.

Thanks so much for all the help, guys!

 

[Paradox]

I overwintered a juniper in my window well last winter and it did well - maybe the Mugo and Scots will take up residence there.

Looking at pictures of scale, I think that's what I'm dealing with - in any case, it's bugs. >_> I trimmed off the most affected branch (it's going to be literati one day so a little sparsity won't do any harm) and any needles with visible lesions on them, and have an insecticide spray on order - I'm guessing it would be wise to treat all the plants that have been sharing a bench with this one? I've got it separated for now just in case.

Thanks so much for all the help, guys!

You can just scrape any visible scale off with a fingernail, you don't need to remove branches/needles. The key is to handle all life stages so do spray it when you get the insecticide in.

I would monitor the other plants and treat them if it appears