Scale on camellia
Camellias in the Southeast and mild coastal regions face pressure from several scale species, with tea scale (Fiorinia theae) being the most important. Tea scale causes the characteristic yellow mottling on camellia leaves that many gardeners initially attribute to disease, and in severe.
Camellias in the Southeast and mild coastal regions face pressure from several scale species, with tea scale (Fiorinia theae) being the most important. Tea scale causes the characteristic yellow mottling on camellia leaves that many gardeners initially attribute to disease, and in severe infestations it weakens plants significantly and can kill branches. Unlike many ornamental scale pests, tea scale infests both the leaf undersides and stems, requiring thorough applications to reach the target population.
I don't grow camellias at my Long Island property — they're marginal in zone 7a without protection and the deer pressure makes establishing broadleaf evergreens difficult — so this guide draws on Clemson HGIC (which has extensive camellia research), NC State Extension, and Penn State publications.
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The pests
Tea scale (Fiorinia theae) — primary pest
Per Clemson HGIC, tea scale is an armored scale (the most common scale on camellia in the Southeast). It infests primarily the undersides of leaves — a key location that causes it to be missed during casual inspection:
- Female scale: oyster-shaped, 1.5mm, brownish-yellow
- Male scale: white, elongated, 0.5–0.75mm; males often appear in clusters on leaf undersides
- Multiple overlapping generations per year in the Southeast; fewer in cooler climates
Camellia scale (Lepidosaphes camelliae) — secondary
Per Clemson HGIC, this oyster shell-shaped scale infests primarily stems and older wood rather than leaves. It is less common than tea scale but causes similar stem dieback.
Florida wax scale (Ceroplastes floridensis)
A soft scale that also infests camellias in the Southeast; produces copious honeydew and sooty mold. Larger (up to 3mm), pink to white, waxy.