Author Topic: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?  (Read 1998 times)

Jessg333

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What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« on: January 09, 2018, 01:43:54 AM »
A while back i uprooted a miracle fruit from a friends house and brought it home. On close inspection Of the sickly plant I noticed it had these tiny black bumps on it’s branches and trunk. I didn’t think much of it until I recently noticed a few of the same bumps on my wax jambu and soursop. I don’t recall seeing them on my other plants before, but then again I’m not the most observant person so I can’t be 100% sure. They are dry and pop off easily if I scratch at it.  Is this something i should worry about and treat or is it benign?
















KarenRei

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2018, 05:06:00 AM »
Hard to say without a picture, but they could be scale.

(If you do take a picture, be sure to have "macro" mode (or equivalent) on; out of focus pictures are useless)

ED: There are pictures, aren't there?  Dang it... (this place often blocks pictures from certain sites, leaving no trace that they were blocked)
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 07:32:56 AM by KarenRei »
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savemejebus

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2018, 06:52:01 AM »
Looks like lobate scale - depending on the level of infestation I've seen them do serious damage to the nutrition of a tree, going so far as to kill off branches that are heavily infested. There's really no 'organic' cure to them other than hitting the tree with soapy water and then scratching them off with your fingers (if the tree is small enough). I guess you could use a systemic pesticide but I try to avoid that as they only seem to attack fruiting trees in my yard.

KarenRei

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2018, 07:39:42 AM »
I once entirely eliminated scale from a citrus tree in my grow area simply through hand-removal.... although I doubt you'd succeed on a full-sized tree, mine was a small, freshly grafted tree in a pot. Part of the problem with scale is that it starts out looking just like innocuous  texture on the bark; it's usually not until they become extremely common that the gardener inexperienced with scale stops and thinks, "Hey, wait a minute...." and tries scraping them off.

I'm amazed that the scale never infected anything else... but I've never seen it again since.  Mites on the other hand...
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skhan

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2018, 08:39:06 AM »
Looks like lobate scale - depending on the level of infestation I've seen them do serious damage to the nutrition of a tree, going so far as to kill off branches that are heavily infested. There's really no 'organic' cure to them other than hitting the tree with soapy water and then scratching them off with your fingers (if the tree is small enough). I guess you could use a systemic pesticide but I try to avoid that as they only seem to attack fruiting trees in my yard.

I agree

OCchris1

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 02:34:40 AM »
Agreed. Scale. I flick them off or smash them. Soaps work well. Good luck- Chris
-Chris

Jessg333

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 02:49:02 AM »
Thanks for the diagnosis, looks like you guys are right. Man this sucks :( Fortunately my trees are still at a manageable size to manually remove the scales. Let the war begin...

KarenRei

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2018, 06:17:12 AM »
Thanks for the diagnosis, looks like you guys are right. Man this sucks :( Fortunately my trees are still at a manageable size to manually remove the scales. Let the war begin...

You can win it.  :)  Check daily. Keep checking well after you last saw any.  Give no quarter!  :)
Já, ég er að rækta suðrænar plöntur á Íslandi. Nei, ég er ekki klikkuð. Jæja, kannski...

Mark in Texas

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Re: What are these little black bumps on tree branch & trunk?
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2018, 09:54:56 AM »
Apply a horticultural oil spray.  Bonide makes a good one.  Scale and other insects will be smothered, turn black in about a week.