The official blog of the Oregon State University Plant Clinic
12 Arthropods of Oregon
Enjoy our holiday roundup of the types of arthropods submitted to our OSU Insect ID Clinic each month from 2020! Click each image to [...]
Time to put the nail into the coffin of “Poinsettias are poisonous to people!”
Every year at about this time the question inevitably arises of whether poinsettias are toxic. These lovely and festive plants, which were brought to [...]
A new pest in Oregon: The Plum bud gall mite (Acalitus phloeocoptes)
Another new pest has been documented in Western Oregon, the plum bud gall mite. This microscopic mite was found this summer infesting a 15 [...]
Ganoderma: White rot fungus of shade trees
Trees can take a lot of adverse conditions. Imagine you are a big leaf maple, planted between the sidewalk and the street. Not only [...]
Not all maple problems are Verticillium
We have been receiving a lot of samples and inquiries about maples – red maples in particular. The concern is that the branches are [...]
Sooty bark disease – a new disease of maples is found in Seattle
Hot summers have consequences. Earlier this year the fungus Cryptostroma corticale was found infecting a sycamore maple in Seattle by an alert arborist. This [...]
Impact of smoke on wine grapes
The historic 2020 September Oregon wildfires brought unprecedented smoke conditions to the Willamette Valley, the heart of Oregon's wine country. The intensity and timing of [...]
Big moths of Oregon
The Plant Clinic often received inquiries about large moths found. Here are some you may encounter in Oregon. [...]
Part II: Do lichens cause branch or tree death?
If you saw Part I of this blog entry, then I know you have been waiting, patiently, I might add, for the second part. [...]
Pest alert: Southern pink moth
Last week we highlighted a new exotic insect pest in Oregon, the Ligurian leafhopper. This week we have another new potential pest to bring to [...]
Pest alert: Ligurian leafhopper
A new exotic insect pest, the Ligurian leafhopper, was reported in Oregon for the first time. The introduction of a new potential pest is [...]
It may not be possible to save large trees in decline
Trees often decline for apparently no clear reason. However, if you look carefully at the conditions the tree has experienced over the years, the [...]
Big Beetles
This is the time of year when many of Oregon's beetles are emerging in their recognizable adult stages and encountering humans wherever they go! [...]
Flying Ts
The capacity of the natural world to surprise and delight is simply wonderful. There are things out in the environment we may not see because [...]
Jumping Oak Galls
When you were a child, did you ever see what were called Mexican jumping beans? They used to be sold at the ends of [...]
Tenlined June Beetles
Every year, as June rolls up here in the PNW, a hard-to-miss scarab beetle makes its appearance. Curious folks take notice and want to [...]
Carpenter ants
Like many of you, I’ve been working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic. The weather has been steadily warming, which means I’ve extended my [...]
Rust never sleeps
I’m pretty sure Neil Young didn’t intend his song entitled “Rust Never Sleeps” to become an unofficial anthem of fungal plant pathologists, but that [...]
Pest alert posters
Here is our first set of pest alert posters for the PNW. We'll continue to add posters to highlight new potential insect pests. Contact [...]
The chemical stew of black spot
The intermittent rainfalls this spring in Western Oregon have been a bonanza for fungal diseases, and many are showing up earlier than we have seen [...]
Snow-making bacterium is making no friends
The same bacterium used to make artificial snow, Pseudomonas syringae, is causing problems in blueberries right now. The near freezing night time temperatures experienced [...]
Carpet Beetles
Series: Insects commonly submitted to the OSU Insect ID Clinic While you’re sheltering in place at home right now, you’re probably noticing some [...]
Brown rot – an aptly named and unwelcome disease of stone fruits
I have a sour cherry tree in my yard that declines a bit more each year. It is in sad shape, with seared-open main branches injured by sun scald and invaded by decay fungi. This all stemmed from leaf loss due to an ongoing and pervasive case of brown rot caused by the fungus Monilinia. This organism infects first through the flowers, usually after a rain while the flowers are open.