It doesn't look particularly nice when the leaves of the magnolia are eaten away. But does leaf damage also harm the plant? And above all: Who dares to eat the leaves of this magnificent tree? Find out in this guide.
Who is responsible for eaten magnolia leaves?
Eaten magnolia leaves are usually caused by snails that use the soft leaves as a food source. Such leaf damage usually has no negative effects on the he alth of the magnolia. To ward off snails, we recommend setting up a snail fence.
Who is eating the leaves of my magnolia?
If the leaves of your magnolia look eaten, there are usuallysnails behind them. They love to eat magnolia leaves – in the truest sense. They eat the whole leaf when the latter is soft enough and they themselves are very hungry; Only in varieties with harder, firmer foliage do the snails often leave the leaf structure standing.
Note: The damage caused by leaf damage is generally “only” visual in nature. Eaten leaves usually haveno negative effects on the he alth of the magnolia.
What to do if magnolia leaves are eaten?
If magnolia leaves are eaten, you should first check whether snails are the cause - this is very likely. To stop the pests from causing even more damage,collect visible animalsand build asnail fence around the magnolia. We advise against slug pellets.
If it is a deciduous magnolia, you do not need to intervene “cosmetically” as the tree sheds its own leaves. With an evergreen variety, you can remove the shoots with the unsightly leaves if the sight bothers you.
Tip
If leaves are eaten on the magnolia, other pests can be ruled out
Snails are usually responsible for eaten leaves on magnolias. Although other pests can also bother the plant, this is not evident through leaf damage, but rather, for example, through curled and/or sticky leaves. Such symptoms indicate a lice infestation. And fungal diseases such as powdery mildew manifest themselves as a whitish coating and/or spots on the leaves.
