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Best and Worst Plants for Japanese Beetle Damage | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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The Best and Worst Plants for Japanese Beetle Damage

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Choose the Right Plants to Have Fewer Pests!

May 3, 2022
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Although Japanese beetles are known to feed on more than 300 types of plants, some are more appealing to them than others! Here’s a list of the best and worst plants to grow when dealing with Japanese beetles.

What do Japanese Beetles Like to Eat?

As larvae, Japanese beetles live underground, feeding on the roots of grasses and other garden plants. This often leads to brown spots of dead or dying grass in lawns—a tell-tale sign of a Japanese beetle larvae infestation.

The adults like to feed on a number of different fruit and shade trees, roses, shrubs, asparagus, corn, soybeans, and a variety of other vegetables and ornamentals. The beetles will also readily munch on geraniums, but geraniums contain a substance that temporarily paralyzes Japanese beetles, making them susceptible to predators. Geraniums are therefore often used as trap plants.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified the following best and worst landscape plants to have in your yard when hungry Japanese beetles come calling. Use these suggestions as guidelines if you’re adding new plants.

Plants Most Often Damaged by Japanese Beetles

These plants are favored by adult Japanese beetles and are more susceptible to destruction. Avoid planting them in areas that get regular infestations. 

  • American linden
  • Apple
  • Apricot, cherry, peach, and plum
  • Beans
  • Birch
  • Crab apple
  • Crape myrtle
  • Grape vines
  • Hibiscus
  • Japanese maple
  • Norway maple
  • Pin oak
  • Raspberry
  • Roses

Plants Least Often Damaged by Japanese Beetles

These plants are least favored by adult Japanese beetles and are less susceptible to destruction. (However, there is no guarantee that these plants won’t be attacked if there are limited food sources in the area!)

  • Ash
  • Boxwood
  • Burning bush
  • Clematis
  • Dogwood
  • Fir
  • Forsythia
  • Hemlock
  • Holly
  • Lilac
  • Magnolia
  • Northern red oak
  • Pine
  • Redbud
  • Red maple
  • Spruce
  • Yew

Do you get Japanese Beetles? Here’s help! See our pest page on Japanese Beetles Control.

Do you grow roses? See our free Roses Growing Guide for advice on caring for rose shrubs!

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Comments

Kate (not verified)

6 months 2 weeks ago

They are devouring my clematis, climbing hydrangea and I am finding them on my whirling butterfly guara plant (Bee blossom) I found eliminating most of the plants/trees that they love helped to lessen the amount of beetles. I use a hand sprayer with a few tbsp of blue dawn dish soap, and some powdered garlic, fill with water...spray the plants liberally twice a day. It doesn't harm the plants but the beetles go belly up and drop to the ground within minutes of spraying. They also fly out of there fast! *you can omit the garlic, it's the blue dawn that seems to work. I had hundreds on my climbing hydrangea and after 3 days of spraying, I found 2 today. I just wish I had started spraying soap solution before the damage was done....next year I will proactively spray when I see the first beetle and perhaps save the foliage from so much damage.

Try sevin dust or a pump sprayer with liquid sevin diluted and Japanese beetles drop like crazy. As far as the larvae, spray your yard in August and September to start killing the hatch. I also have heard the arguments about hanging traps in my yard and I will take my chances by tying off a bag every few weeks and killing 3-4 thousand beetles, what a joy. That is a lot males not fertilizing eggs. There are a few websites that have scheduled spray times and what to use at the right time for your area.

Jerry (not verified)

1 year 8 months ago

At my place in Nebraska the Japanese beetles seem to go crazy for false Virginia creeper.

Mel (not verified)

1 year 11 months ago

The nursery told me NOT to squash Japanese Beetles as that releases their pheromones which attracts more beetles to your yard. Traps, I was told they would be happy to take my money but not to put any in my yard as they attract more beetles to your yard. If hand picking Japanese Beetles drop them in a container of water & dish soap.

Alan Erickson (not verified)

2 years 5 months ago

Ditto on someone who mentioned basil below. Unfortunately for us it seems to be one of their favorites. That and cilantro.