Sunday, June 13, 2010

Its A Mystery to Me!

The small balcony of the apartment is crowded with plants - as indeed are most balconies here. However unlike our neighbours we use the outdoor space for dining during the warm/hot weather. And believe me it has suddenly become hot here - it is not quite noon yet and it is already 27C. We'd been complaining about the cool/cold damp spring so summer decided to hit us right between our sweat-soaked shoulder blades!


In one corner there are two plants that I am sure I use to know the name of but that has totally escaped me - that seems to be happening a lot these day!!! It has clumps of white, very highly scented, blossoms in the spring.



Last year and again this year there is a strange fungus? insect? something! that has attached itself to the plant. It is white, ribbed, soft and when removed and crushed almost exudes a blood coloured substance - which makes me think it is the cocoon of some type of insect.




Does anyone have any ideas as to what it is? How to get rid of it - preferably without using anything that would harm puppies or dinners - particularly puppies?

13 giugno - Sant'Antonio di Padova

3 comments:

yvette said...

My dear Willy, as it is Sant'Antonio di Padova today, I might find something for you! Your shrub seems to belong to the pittosporum family;and the nasty borrowers look like a severe attack of mealy bugs (called in French cochenilles, white then red when squeezed). I have stopped using chemicals against them,I cut the sort of nest and spay water to get rid of these tiny pests, and I keep an eye on them constantly. Some have recipes with mixture of Marseilles soap and oil. Water, almost daily care to get rid of them and a fair amount of scorn towards too Summer is on its way.(At last!)

yvette said...

Oh...End of my message is wrong...
Wanted to say that scorn towards them will do too! and yes! It is Summer here ... (sorry for this mixture due to typing mistakes...)

yellowdoggranny said...

is there a nursery around? you might take a picture of it and take it to them..they will help..flower shop?
your little patio is so sweet and welcoming..