Pest identification
What's eating my alchemilla mollis?
Slugs and snails
Signs: Irregular holes and chewed edges on soft spring foliage; slime trails on and around leaves.
Control: Apply ferric phosphate pellets around crowns in early spring; hand-pick after rain; use sharp grit mulch to deter movement.
Vine weevil
Signs: Scalloped notches cut from leaf margins by adult beetles at night; grubs may damage roots of pot-grown plants.
Control: Inspect soil around roots; apply predatory nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer–autumn to moist soil to target grubs.
Keep alchemilla mollis pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Alchemilla mollis pests — FAQ
What is eating my alchemilla mollis?
Alchemilla mollis is one of the most pest-resistant garden perennials. Slugs and snails are the main threat, targeting soft young leaves in spring. Vine weevils may notch leaf margins. It is unpalatable to deer and rabbits, and rarely troubled by aphids or caterpillars — making it a dependably easy plant to grow.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on alchemilla mollis?
Irregular holes and chewed edges on soft spring foliage; slime trails on and around leaves. Apply ferric phosphate pellets around crowns in early spring; hand-pick after rain; use sharp grit mulch to deter movement.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on alchemilla mollis?
Scalloped notches cut from leaf margins by adult beetles at night; grubs may damage roots of pot-grown plants. Inspect soil around roots; apply predatory nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer–autumn to moist soil to target grubs.