Rolled Leaves on Cannas - Knowledgebase Question

Murfreesboro, TN
Avatar for mtuck0
Question by mtuck0
June 12, 1999
Some of the leaves on my Cannas seem "sealed" together, and do not unfurl normally. When I force them open there is a clear brown 'goo', and also, what looks like dirt inside. I have not seen any insects, spots, or mildew. Some of the leaves have round holes eaten in them.


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Answer from NGA
June 12, 1999
Your Canna plants are infested with an insect known as the Canna leafroller. These larvae "stitch" the rolled foliage together with webbing and then feed on the interior of the leaves. The goo and dirt is the excrement from the insect.

The safest control is to remove the webbed foliage and bury it or throw it in the trash. Then spray the plants with a product containing B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis). It is sold in numerous brand names including: Dipel, Thuricide, Ortho BioWorm Killer, MVP Caterpillar Killer, and many more.

Repeat sprays on a weekly basis for a while to make sure you have broken the life cycle of the insect. Continue to remove webbed foliage promptly whenever it appears, and retreat with B.t.

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