Recognise stem eelworm

24th October 2021

Phlox and pestemon can suffer from a microscopic pest, an eelworm or nematode which feeds within plant tissues. Growth is stunted , leaves turn yellow later brown, twisting and distorting, and some stems within a clump will die back. There is no real control, but some cultivars like 'White Admiral' and 'David' are more resistant.