How Do I Treat Ants and Sooty Mold on a Magnolia Tree?
How Do I Treat Ants and Sooty Mold on a Magnolia Tree?”We have a 4-year-old magnolia tree (4″-diameter, 13′ tall) that has really never looked great but always has white flowers in spring. The leaves never got that real dark green look. Now this summer the leaves started looking a lighter green and the bark has mold on it! I’ve washed the mold off the bark and noticed at the base of the tree the bark is coming off about 4 inches up. I pulled the loose bark off and under it was a ton of ants. Under bark is still solid but a few bore holes that go in only a little bit I think. We are in Florida.”Answer: The ants and mold (it’s probably the mold called “sooty mold”) may be the effect, rather than the cause of your magnolia tree’s problems. The cause may be magnolia scale. The scale secrete a liquid named “honeydew” that invites sooty mold. And because it’s sweet, ants like to feed on the honeydew. I discuss ma
