Pest identification
What's eating my arisaema tortuosum?
Slugs & snails
Signs: Ragged holes chewed in emerging spathe and young leaves; slime trails visible on soil and foliage.
Control: Apply iron-phosphate pellets around emerging shoots; use copper tape around containers; hand-pick at night.
Aphids
Signs: Soft new growth curls or puckers; sticky honeydew accumulates on leaves; ants may cluster nearby.
Control: Blast off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap spray; encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Notched leaf margins from adult feeding; sudden plant collapse due to C-shaped grubs eating corm roots.
Control: Apply nematode drenches (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer; use vine weevil killer granules for containers.
Keep arisaema tortuosum pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Arisaema tortuosum pests — FAQ
What is eating my arisaema tortuosum?
Arisaema tortuosum (whipcord cobra lily) is a woodland garden aroid. Slugs and snails are the most damaging pest, shredding emerging spathe and leaf tissue. Aphids cluster on soft new growth, and vine weevil grubs can attack the corm. Deer occasionally browse the foliage in open woodland gardens.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on arisaema tortuosum?
Ragged holes chewed in emerging spathe and young leaves; slime trails visible on soil and foliage. Apply iron-phosphate pellets around emerging shoots; use copper tape around containers; hand-pick at night.
How do I get rid of aphids on arisaema tortuosum?
Soft new growth curls or puckers; sticky honeydew accumulates on leaves; ants may cluster nearby. Blast off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap spray; encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on arisaema tortuosum?
Notched leaf margins from adult feeding; sudden plant collapse due to C-shaped grubs eating corm roots. Apply nematode drenches (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer; use vine weevil killer granules for containers.