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The Best and Worst Plants for Japanese Beetle Damage

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Lamba/Wikimedia Commons

Choose the Right Plants to Have Fewer Pests!

Catherine Boeckmann
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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 Plants 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 variety of 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. Therefore, geraniums are often used as trap plants.

Read Next

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 in their . Use these suggestions as guidelines if you’re adding new plants.

Plants Most Often Damaged by Japanese Beetles

Adult Japanese beetles favor these plants and are more susceptible to destruction. Avoid planting them in areas that get regular infestations. 

Plants Least Often Damaged by Japanese Beetles

Adult Japanese beetles least favor these plants 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!)

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

What do you think? Are there plants you would add to this list?

Garden Pests
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË found each other. She leads digital content for the ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Patt Geyler (not verified)

2 years 3 months ago

Gosh I hate them.... But at over 85 I can'tchase them Poured about a cup into each container and they left!

Mavis (not verified)

4 years 3 months ago

Milky Spore and Praying Mantis!!! One application of Milky Spore lasts 10 to 20 years. Praying Mantis are carnivorous and are fun to watch.

Chris (not verified)

4 years 5 months ago

Tulle netting is very effective at protecting plants. I sew a 20-foot long box out of tulle and lay it over an arbor made from pvc pipes. This keeps the beetles from feasting on my grape vines. I have also made another box to protect my raspberries. This box is supported by T-posts with old tennis balls over the tops. The posts are spaced about 4-5 feet apart. The only weakness I have found with tulle is that after 2 or 3 years, it succumbs to the effects of the sun and rain and I have to replace it.

Holly (not verified)

4 years 8 months ago

Buy a thin net fabric called tulle at any fabric store - it's very cheap. It is a netting with very small holes. Cover your plants with it - it lets in light, water but not the beetles. I use it on all my potted flowers that they are attracted to. Have to keep it on for about 6 weeks until they are gone but it works & doesn't poison bees, butterflies etc.

Betty (not verified)

5 years 3 months ago

Use Neem oil for your Japanese beetle infestation. Mix a spray bottle with a tablespoon of neem oil, dish soap (teaspoon) and water. Spray all your leaves front and back every day in the morning or at dusk. When they eat these, it will kill their reproductive system and can't lay eggs in your yard. But you will also have to treat your lawn with milky spore and nematodes to kill the larva. There is no instant kill, they will always come back, but these things will help not kill your grass and won't be harmful to the environment, bees or other animals that eat the bugs.

Greg (not verified)

5 years 4 months ago

I have a lot of fruit trees and bushes. Beetles have killed a few of my young cherry trees by defoliation them. When the bugs are on the tree, I spray with Bonide fruit tree and plant guard.
Around early September when the beetles have laid their young eggs in the ground. I spray the ground with a product containing Imidacloprid.

Reuben (not verified)

5 years 4 months ago

Is the use of diatomaceous earth for insect control harmful to honeybees and other pollinators?

Yes, diatomaceous earth (DE) can be harmful to some bees and other pollinators. This is why it’s generally recommended not to use DE when plants are in flower. Or, simply use it on foliage that’s not near the plant’s flowers, as pollinators will be less likely to come into contact with it.

Anonymous (not verified)

5 years 6 months ago

We have several fruit trees in our yard that they attack but we don't want to spray if we can avoid it. We got one of the bags with the attractant and rigged it up in our pond nearby. They are attracted to an area away from our trees, we don't have the hassle of dumping the bag, plus the fish enjoy eating them- and I enjoy knowing they are gone.

Anonymous (not verified)

6 years 1 month ago

If you don't want too many japanese beetles then just plant geraniums because apparently thy can render paralysis.