Some people use a generous dusting of artificial snow on their Christmas tree to create a feeling of a winter wonderland. This is referred to as a flocked Christmas tree. But if your sago “palm” looks ...

Garden staff are finding more scale insects and aphids than in past years. A major infestation of lecanium scale was recently found on a large planting of bald cypress at the Garden. The population of ...

My magnolia had a problem with magnolia scale last year. Will it come back, and should I take some action to protect my tree? The leaves were covered in a black mold late last summer. — Frank Butler, ...

My Japanese magnolias have this horrible disease that causes tan-colored growths that look like boils on the branches, and they attract flies. A black mildew is on the leaves, and the leaves ...

Bizarre-looking bugs known as scale insects may be tiny but they can take down an oak tree. Considered pests, the creatures tend to flock to cities where they weaken, and in some cases kill, trees by ...

Maple trees in urban environments show signs of stress due to the urban heat island effect. Impervious surfaces like pavement retain heat and disrupt water absorption, stressing trees and making them ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Deep in the heart of Crete, where myth intertwines with ...

When I spotted a scale insect on a leaf of my Thai lime tree recently, I sighed. It’s only December; sometimes they show up ...

Bizarre-looking bugs known as scale insects may be tiny but they can take down an oak tree. Considered pests, the creatures tend to flock to cities where they weaken, and in some cases kill, trees by ...