Question
I have two lilac bushes that were planted three years ago. Last year the leaves started curling up mid summer, with brown tips. There were no blooms this spring. The new growth looks good, so far. I've also noticed a white foam where the leaves meet the branch, or where two branches meet. And I've recently noticed that the leaves on one of my 3-year old burning bushes now look like they're curling up. Any ideas?

Answer
Lin,

There are a few separate insects in play here- scale and possibly spittle bug on the lilacs and mites on the winged euonymus. The lilac should be treated with a good general insecticide now and with horticultural oil in the fall. The burning bush needs to be sprayed with a miticide to control the damaging mite populations. Both plants should be heavily fertilized in the fall.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen