Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - October 17, 2013
From: Alpine, CA
Region: California
Topic: Non-Natives, Pests, Poisonous Plants, Trees
Title: Flying insects eating leaves of non-native Brugmansia in Aline CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have an Angel Trumpet tree. We live in Aline, California 30 miles east of San Diego. Little yellow and black flying bugs eat the leaves. Do you have a remedy for this problem.ANSWER:
Because this plant is non-native to North America (mostly from the Andes and South America) it is not in our Native Plant Database and therefore out of our range of expertise. Here is an article from the University of Vermont on Bragmansia (and Datura).
Be careful when planting this - all parts of angel's trumpet are poisonous, or at least narcotic in small doses.
Relatives include datura, nightshade, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplants.
These are also called by the common name 'datura'. However, datura is an annual plant, while brugmansia is a woody plant.
Whiteflies can be a big problem for angel's trumpet. Cabbage worms, spider mites and aphids are also common. Other pests that may appear include cucumber beetles (in the Mid West), slugs and snails, fungus gnats (inside) and mealy bugs.
While we may not know much about non-native plants, we can refer you to some websites with information on whiteflies, spider mites and aphids, as those seem to be the most likely culprits.
More Pests Questions
Dealing with aphids on milkweed plants in Alloway, NJ.
July 11, 2012 - I planted milk weed for the Monarch butterfly. Every year it gets orange aphids that seem to suck out the juices and eventually kill the plant sooner than I like.
view the full question and answer
Removing yaupon hollies from yard in Austin
July 04, 2009 - We recently moved into a home w/ way too many and much too large (20-30') yaupon holly's in the back yard. I had some of them cut down, but they keep coming up from the roots of the old trees. How ...
view the full question and answer
Sticky material dripping from tree in Austin
July 22, 2012 - The tree in my backyard is dripping what I surmise is sap - a thick,fdrake1@ sticky substance in July. What kind of tree is it and is there anything one can do prevent this from happening? Thank you...
view the full question and answer
Black coloration on Star Magnolia is probably sooty mold.
November 21, 2008 - I have a star magnolia where 90% of the bark has turned black. It almost looks burned. The tree has decent buds set for next spring. What is causing the bark to turn black?
view the full question and answer
Tree with brown spots on leaves containing caterpillars
July 14, 2011 - We have a new little tree we planted in our yard and I went over to admire it and on each leaf there is a brown spot in which little worms are living. They are alive and moving around in the pocket th...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |