Just a warning to those in the mid-west or any area that had a wet Spring (and a winter that was cold, but never quite frigid); this is the worst Spring I have ever seen for destructive garden pests. My very old Shaina was devastated by leaf hoppers and spider mites. I lost many of the interior branches that were perfectly healthy a few weeks ago. They also hit goshiki shidare and gwen's rose delight hard, but it was mainly cosmetic leaf failure. As of now, the branches remain healthy. These outbreaks happen very fast and once the tree shows slight signs of damage, it's usually too late as the foliage collapse very quickly over the next few days. My advise is to get them before they get you! Could 2013 be the year of the bug, if something doesn't change... I can't imagine how bad the mosquitos will be this summer, if this keeps up. It could be a real problem for those of us who like to practically live out in our gardens during the Spring, Summer, and Fall. West Nile virus is no joke!
