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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

Sam (not verified)

6 years 3 months ago

I've found these horrid bugs on my hibiscus, marigolds, even basil!! I hope someday soon they make a "magic" spray for these things.

Dee (not verified)

6 years 4 months ago

They have always ate my Burning Bush, they are mating on the neighbor’s burning bush. I will hand pick as many as I can. I tried to drown some of them in the grass with water & Dawn.

rosie (not verified)

6 years 4 months ago

They love my zinnias. They are piled-up on each other on the blooms. Must be having a party! Have sprayed and also smash between my fingers. Never had them this bad before. They have ruined my roses.

Lilly (not verified)

6 years 4 months ago

We used to put half an inch of Dove dish soap or Sunlight dish soap and a half an inch of vinegar in measuring cup and pour it into a quart of warm water and test spray some sample plants and leave them for a few days to test if the plant can tolerate it. Then spray the whole plant and the ground around it. Then wait a minute and spray it all again . Or come back in an hour or the next day and spray again . This works on fruit trees too but always test spray first. You can use this spray for grass too. Test spray a small patch first to make sure your brand of grass will tolerate it.

Maggie (not verified)

6 years 4 months ago

They love love Canas plants too. They will leave them with nothing but a stem.

njjjjh (not verified)

6 years 3 months ago

Got my introduction to Japanese Beetles this month. Canas in a pot are covered in them. Hand pick everyday but am losing the battle. They especially .love to burrow into the new buds. When I disturb them they fly off to my Boston Ivy vine. Think I brought them home in purchased potting soil. In 25 years of living here this is a first for the little beggars.

Brian (not verified)

6 years 4 months ago

Your information said these beetles "generally" don't like eggplant, but I can tell you that they absolutely devoured my eggplant.

Colleen (not verified)

7 years 2 months ago

They were really damaging my hazel trees earlier in the year, I wonder if Japanese gardeners have problems with these beetles, lol.

Lora Schweikert (not verified)

7 years 3 months ago

The water in the can/container doesn't have to be boiling hot, in fact, it can be cold. I add a little detergent to the water and simply knock the darned beetles into the water. As for those beetle bags, there's conflicting information/advice on using them. They can actually draw MORE beetles into your yard. If you have to use them place the bag in the back of your property, hopefully not near your neighbor's prized roses!