Pest identification
What's eating my dressler's anthurium?
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy fluff at leaf joints and petiole bases; honeydew leads to sooty mold
Control: Remove with alcohol-tipped swab; spray entire plant with dilute neem oil every 7 days for 3 weeks
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippling across the velvety leaf surface; fine webbing on undersides
Control: Raise humidity above 60%, rinse leaves, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly
Fungus gnats
Signs: Larvae damage fine roots in moist chunky aroid mix; adults are a nuisance indicator of overwatering
Control: Allow top inch of mix to dry, use sticky yellow traps, and apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) drench
Keep dressler's anthurium pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Dressler's Anthurium pests — FAQ
What is eating my dressler's anthurium?
Anthurium dressleri is a rare velvety aroid grown indoors, making it vulnerable to the same indoor pest complex as other collector anthuriums. Mealybugs are the most frequent problem, hiding in the deep veins and petiole bases. Check new growth closely — early detection is critical on a plant this valuable.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on dressler's anthurium?
White waxy fluff at leaf joints and petiole bases; honeydew leads to sooty mold Remove with alcohol-tipped swab; spray entire plant with dilute neem oil every 7 days for 3 weeks
How do I get rid of spider mites on dressler's anthurium?
Pale stippling across the velvety leaf surface; fine webbing on undersides Raise humidity above 60%, rinse leaves, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on dressler's anthurium?
Larvae damage fine roots in moist chunky aroid mix; adults are a nuisance indicator of overwatering Allow top inch of mix to dry, use sticky yellow traps, and apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) drench