Question
Just the other day I found out why my golden euonymous shrubs have lost their leaves.  The scale disease.  Is it too late to save these plants or should they be replaced before the scale move on to other surrounding plants and flowers?

Answer
Rhonda:

Scale is a type of insect that can cause significant damage to euonymous. In my part of the world, this insect is probably the most damaging insect on this shrub. It has been my experience that if it is so bad, best to remove the plant and start over, maybe another type of shrub, because it may take a long time to get it free of this critter if it is covered from top to bottom. If you have a special fondness for having an euonymous, replace it. Replacement is a personal decision, but as I mentioned it can be a long time for it to recover completely.

If the scale is a type of tea scale, these particular scale insects that attack this shrub tend to prefer this shrub, so moving to an unrelated plant may not occur. Consider trying an insecticide called BAYER ADVANCED TREE AND SHRUB INSECT CONTROL.  It is a liquid and comes in a blue plastic bottle.  It contains the chemical Imidacloprid.  The liquid is mixed with water and applied to the soil beneath the plant and is taken up by the roots of the shrub.  It is available in many garden centers and home improvement box stores. It is not cheap. Be sure to read the directions closely.

Regards
Steve