I have 5 rosemary bushes at the corner of the house (my rosemary corner) I haven't been out a lot lately but the rosemary is something I worry the least about because it does really well all by itself. Tonight as I was weeding I noticed something that I have not seen before on 3 of the bushes. I don't know if I can explain it well enough to make it clear but here goes a try. It looked like some one had slung cow slobber on them. (there, that was gross) Just in little spots though. I cannot see anything living or eating on the bushes...just little spots of "merange" looking stuff. Is that something the bush produces? I washed it off with the hose. 2 of the bushes are 3 yrs ols, 1 is 2 yrs old and the other 2 I planted this year. I have never seen this before.....can someone tell me what it is???????

i am yet to plant rosemary in my garden , but there are many rosemary bushes in my community. i have never seen anythign like what you described. i would check for animals maybe, or slugs and such. has it happened again since you cleaned it?

wow that's real bizzare!!!! ectoplasm maybe? do you have ghosts in your garden? no i'm just kidding!! really though thats weird. you say you never noticed anything like that before. maybe some kind of bird doo? or a dog could have been in the area and drooling and shook his head? a stray cow that got loose? (dont laugh it happend to me once)

How about spittlebugs? Philaenus spumarius. They produce masses of frothy "spittle" on stems and feed inside.

well there does have to a logical explanation....but i wiould like to know nmore about the stray cow theory lol

4Ruddy,

I've seen the clear gel looking stuff come out of woody shrubs like juniper after it has been pruned. I've seen rosemary specimens that are literally shrubs. I'm guessing that most people don't have rosemary as big as you are describing. My best guess is that what you are seeing is the sap. There must have been some damage (wind, insect, physical break) that caused a wound of some sort that allowed some of the sap to leak out.

You could try an experiment. Prune a larger branch for cooking or propagating, and watch the cut to see if the same stuff comes out.

i'll post the cow story in the gardeners chat forum

actually banter hall sorry

Well, I checked yesterday and nothing since I washed the "mystery" froth off...it is REALLY strange. I have never heard of a spittlebug...didn't see any critters on it at the time! I am going to keep checking....no cows around here...and it was on the bush in such an odd way that I can't imagine how, if a "dog" had slobbered, it could get on there like that. If it is on there again...you can bet I am going to take a pic so you can see that I have not completely lost my mind!

I have never seen anything likethat before, aroundhere we can only ahve them in the sumer time, winters are to harsh. I will try yet again to bring it indoors this year. I have 6 plants going now. Wish I could have them big as you do. sigh--guess I'll just have to move!.

my rosemary is really not that big. I checked last night and the slobber froth is on a different bush but it was to dark to get a pick...BUT....when I went to check the cannas I noticed that the same "froth" was on a weed so I did get a pic of it...hope you can tell somethng about it. I will try to get one of the rosemary in a bit...this is really strange!

sorry they are more blurred than I thought!

also, I meant to tell you that when I washed this off of the rosemary...the places where the froth was turned brown.

4Ruddy,

It's hard to see what's in the pictures, but it could be a spittle bug. Here's a link with pictures of the spittle bug.

Spittle Bug

That is a really icky bug.

Do you get a lot of snow in Arkansas and if so, what do you do to the rosemary? I really want to grow some here but am wodnering how it will do outside.

OMG Par...that might be it exactly!!! I saw a really different looking bug in the yard the other day while trimming. I remember it because it had almost a flouresent look....the last pic on the page you sent me looks like it! I have not seen any bugs on the plant..but they may be in the spittle! That's just what I need...a NEW bug! It didn't say what to do to get rid of them...do you know?

Triss,My rosemary bushes are about knee high...I have just left them outside the past 2 years and they winter well. I have had them in the herb beds but moved them out this year to the yard. I cannot have to many rosemary bushes...I clip & prune them real often to dry the herb...I use a lot of rosemary in my cooking & baking...and package it for Christmas gifts.

oops, forgot the other question. We don't get a lot of snow here..but usually have a really good ice storm once or twice during the winter. I just mulch good!

Thanks for the info. I am definitely going to add rosemary to my garden.

Triss, I just can't live witrhout it! And Basil, my favorite being the African Blue basil! I end up adding a new rosemary bush or two every year!

I havent heard of that variety of Basil. I have two kinds, sweet and one other that I cannot remember right now. It is just begining to flower. I also just planted seeds for lemon and cinnamon basil.

Okay you guys...you were exactly correct (again!) It is spittlebugs Obywan...so now...can you tell me what to do to get RID of them? I got real brave (with gloves on) and removed some of the froth and low & behold...there was a bug in that gue! So now what do I do???????? HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is spittlebug. It's very common here, when it gets hot. Just blast it with the hose. They are not terribly harmful. No need to use poison.

Spittle bugs are common here too. Paper towel or tissue works well at removing the froth and exposing the soft little bugger and can easily be wiped away.

In a book that I have called "Insect, Disease & Weed I.D.Guide" it lists the prevention and control of Spittlebugs, aka Froghoppers aka Cercopidae, as:

"Wash the masses of froth containing the nymphs off of plants with a strong spray of water; repeat if necessary."

Hope this helps.