Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - June 19, 2009

From: Pensacola Beach, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Diseases and Disorders
Title: Red and black bugs on hibiscus
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I can't get your Keyword search to work.. I have tiny red and black bugs on my hibiscus. I have tried 2 different garden sprays and neither seems to kill the tiny bugs. They barely move on the plant and they are on the bark and the stems and the buds of the flowers. Any idea what they are and how I can kill them. The bush has nearly dropped all of the leaves.

ANSWER:

Sorry you can't get the Keyword Search to work. The key (ha, ha) is the words you use in the Search, and it will usually only take two words. We tried using the two words "hibiscus bugs" and got no answers. Then, when we tried "hibiscus" we got 27 answers. Scanning down that list, we found one about  bugs bugging an hibiscus in Florida, and are going to provide you with that answer: Previous Question.
 

More Diseases and Disorders Questions

Young Bur Oak not Flourishing in Texas
November 06, 2014 - We have a bur oak in our SW Travis County lawn in Texas, planted about 3 years ago as a 6-7' tree. It is now about 12' but has not "flourished". It has put out virtually no horizontal branches, an...
view the full question and answer

Loss of leaves from globe willows in Utah
July 26, 2008 - I have four globe willows that have been in my back yard for the past 6 years. For the past month they have been losing their leaves from the bottom up. We had aphids in some of our other trees and ...
view the full question and answer

Unknown ailment of Turk's cap in northeast Texas
July 01, 2013 - I just moved from the Dallas area to Emory in the north east part. I brought two young Turk's cap plants in pots. I had to leave the mother plant behind. The tops have a very curled and shrunken a...
view the full question and answer

Leaves of non-native crape myrtle browning in Sinton TX
June 12, 2010 - Crepe myrtle – tips of leaves are brown and curling up.
view the full question and answer

Mildew on phlox paniculata from Morrisville PA
May 30, 2014 - My Phlox paniculata, all 7, have powdery mildew. I read about using NEEM to combat the mildew. NEEM is organic but the bottle says it is also an insecticide. The phlox are near my milkweed and gold...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.