What is wrong with my Mayten (Maytenus boaria) tree?

Are the older leaves of your Mayten tree turning yellow and wilting, and is an overall decline in the plant's vigor apparent?

Are there wet, sappy areas on the bark of the main trunk of the Maytenus boaria tree?

Are the leaves of the your Mayten tree curled and distorted, sticky to the touch?

Are the leaves of your Mayten tree yellow and are the branches, and leaves covered with small bumps?

Yellow leaves in Mayten trees indicate a fungal disease called Verticillium wilt. Verticillium wilt infects a wide range of plants and trees. If your Mayten tree is infected with Verticillium wilt and the leaves of your tree are turning yellow, you must get rid of the plant, as there is no cure. Prevent future such problems by presoaking your Maytenus boaria's seed in a 10 percent bleach solution.

Larvae of flatheaded borers tunnel beneath the bark of the Maytenus boaria, causing wet, sappy on the bark of the main trunk of your Mayten tree. Boring in Mayten trees may kill limbs or even the entire tree. Prevention is the most effective management approach for flatheaded borers, which typically attack Mayten trees that have been previously injured or damaged. Providing proper care and protecting landscape plants from injury will make them less attractive to the borers. Avoid pruning spring-summer while adults are active. Properly dispose of infested wood material, as beetles may emerge from logs and attack nearby plants.

Distorted and sticky leaves in Mayten trees and stems are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under Mayten tree leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control these pests by washing them off the Mayten tree with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used only with severe infestations.

Soft scales are known to attack Mayten trees. Scrape off minor infestations from your Mayten tree with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

If there are webbed nests in your Mayten tree's branches, the culprits are tent caterpillars. Tent caterpillars can be controlled by destroying their nests or egg cases, spraying the leaves of your Mayten tree with BTK at the first sign of damage, or applying pyrethrin spray as a last resort.