Coocoons/snowball bushes

(Question)

My snowball bush has very many what look like two leaves glued together like a ‘Hot Pocket’ with some tiny blackish things too small to identify and also some whitish stuff inside .
What to do with them? sorry, no pic.

(Answer)

 

Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your question.

Unfortunately a number of pests can attack Viburnum macrocephalum ( commonly called Chinese Snowball).

The symptoms you describe could indicate Snowball aphids (Neoceruraphis viburnicola) . They can cause twisting and curling of the young growth. These aphids are gray to dark green and feed in clusters at the tips of the branches, causing leaf curl and to stick together. They feed by piercing plant tissue and sucking plant sap.The white stuff might also be powdery mildew forming inside the enclosed leaves, but not sure about that without seeing it.

Prevention & Control: They usually cause little or no appreciable damage. Viburnums can be sprayed with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to control aphids. Soaps and oils must be sprayed onto the aphids to be effective. Spray the foliage thoroughly, including the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Repeat spray three times at 5- to 7-day intervals. Only apply horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps if temperatures are below 85 °F. Visit your local nursery for recommendations on Insecticidal soaps for your area.

You could also be dealing with a spider mite.

Have a look at this link to a past question on this site.

Or a Viburnum Leaf Beetle

Feel free to send a photo if you are having trouble deciding on the exact pest.

I have included this reference for more information. It speaks to prevention and control. :

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/viburnum-diseases-insect-pests/