Shrubs - Euonymus
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  (September) I need advice on how and when to trim/prune the following shrubs in front of my house. The firm that did the planting is out of business. Holly - Japanese, blue & Yaupon, Yew, Emerald Gold Euonymus, Red pygmy Barberry, Blue Pacific juniper, Red tip photenia and liriope. Many of these plants seem 'out of control'. I've trimmed them in years past in late fall, but they grow so fast that it seems to be an annual affair. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

  Pruning shrubs can be an annual affair if the right plants weren’t planted in the right location, of if you need specific shapes and or sizes. Choosing plants that have a mature size that will fit the foundation of your home, can reduce the pruning chores. In my opinion, late fall is not an ideal time to prune in Arkansas. We have so many fluctuations in temperature during the winter, that I try to get the plants through before pruning. If you just need general shaping, that can be done at any time. If you need to remove more than one third of the plant, you should try to catch the burst of growth in the spring -- late February through mid April should work well. None of the plants mentioned are spring bloomers, so you are not interfering with blooms. Liriope is one plant that should be sheared hard prior to new growth each spring. This purging of old foliage leads to a cleaner and healthier looking plant.

  (October) I have a golden Euonymus bush that is dying. Close to half the leaves have fallen off and the exposed branches and many leaves are spotted. Is there anything I can do to save it? 

  I bet if you look closely, the plant is probably inundated with scale insects. Euonymus plants have their very own scale insect. I often describe it as a salt-and-pepper type coating on the stems, leaves, etc. Heavy infestations will make the plants decline. If it is heavily damaged, cut off the main damage and spray with a dormant oil. Saturate the plant and remove the old mulch. Keep some spray handy, since Euonymus plants are commonly plagued with scale.

  My unsightly patio fence is beautified by a tall stand of Euonymus that I keep trimmed as a fence covering. This year the dusty mildew got ahead of me and is covering the leaves–both old and new. Advise me as to what I can do now. 

  I doubt that you have mildew. I think the culprit is the Euonymus scale which will look almost as if someone covered the plants with salt and pepper. These small specks can build up to large enough numbers where the plants look covered in white. Prune out some of the thicker limbs and spray with Orthene now. This fall, as the weather cools, saturate the plants with a horticultural oil. Saturation is a must if you are going to kill out these insects. Euonymus are frequently plagued with this insect, so preventative sprays often help.

  I have several Euonymous shrubs that are infested with aphids. I have sprayed with a pesticide. I have read where ladybugs are a good way to get rid of them or just spraying with a hose. I guess I have two questions; do I need to trim the dead leaves, branches etc.? What is a good pesticide to use?

  Are you sure the problem is aphids? They are small insects and you should see them move around. Scale insects are much more common on Euonymus plants than aphids. If it is definitely aphids, lady bugs work very well. Some local nurseries carry live insects, or you can mail order them. For scale--which on Euonymus looks like someone sprinkled them with salt and pepper, prune off the heavily infested parts, then spray with a horticulture oil this fall when the weather cools off.

  My yellow and green bush (I don’t know the name) has something growing all over the backs of the leaves. I’ve enclosed some for you to see. Can you tell me what to do, because I’m afraid it is dying. 

  The golden euonymus is covered with a scale insect. It makes the plant look like someone sprinkled salt and pepper all over the plant. These insects suck the sap out of the plant, and can eventually kill the plant. For now, pick a day when the temperature is going to be above freezing and spray thoroughly with a dormant oil. In late February or early March, prune the plant hard to remove as much of the damaged foliage as you can. Clean up the area by removing the clippings and the existing mulch. Spray again with the dormant or horticultural oil. Then see how the plant grows this spring. This is a common problem with euonymus and the reason many people don’t grow them.

  I have several plants along my home that look ill. They are all the same, but I am not sure what they are. Can you identify the plant and possibly the problem from the enclosed sample. How can I help my plants to get them healthy again?

  The plants in question are golden euonymus, a common shrub in Arkansas, with an even more common problem--scale insects. Euonymus scale looks like someone took salt and pepper and coated the backs of the leaves and stems. While it continues to be hot, simply use a general insecticide such as Orthene. Then spray with a horticultural oil this fall or winter. Be sure to check on these plants yearly to monitor for this pest. Next spring, fertilize to help them recover.

  Hearts 'a Bustin'. (Also called Strawberry Bush, I think.) This bush has gotten spindly, and I know I should cut it back, but again I'm not sure when to do it. And this bush has never bloomed very well. It is in a spot that gets only filtered sun, and very little of it at that.

  The hearts a burstin, is Euonymus americana, or strawberry bush. It blooms in the spring and sets the fruits that are so showy in the fall. I would prune it at bloom time to prune around the flowers, to allow some fruit set. The flowers are tiny and not particularly showy so watch for them. Normally, these plants don't need much in the way of pruning. They also do well in a partially shaded location. See if you can open up the canopy above the plant to allow for a little more light.

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