Where is damage from azalea leafminer most severe?

Where is damage from azalea leafminer most severe?

• A. Greenhouse cuttings
• B. Outdoor landscape plants
• C. In roots of established shrubs
• D. In mature outdoor trees

Answer: (A)

Azalea leafminer targets the leaves, and the damage is greatest on young, tender growth. In greenhouses and nurseries, azalea cuttings and other new growth provide abundant, lush tissue in warm, humid conditions, which speeds larval development and results in many leaf mines and more distortion. Outdoor landscapes and established shrubs have older leaves and tougher growth, so the impact is typically less severe. Roots and mature trees aren’t the primary sites of injury for this pest, since it feeds inside the leaves of azaleas, which are shrubs rather than trees.

Azalea leafminer targets the leaves, and the damage is greatest on young, tender growth. In greenhouses and nurseries, azalea cuttings and other new growth provide abundant, lush tissue in warm, humid conditions, which speeds larval development and results in many leaf mines and more distortion. Outdoor landscapes and established shrubs have older leaves and tougher growth, so the impact is typically less severe. Roots and mature trees aren’t the primary sites of injury for this pest, since it feeds inside the leaves of azaleas, which are shrubs rather than trees.