Pest identification
What's eating my blechnum chilense?
Slugs & snails
Signs: Holes and torn margins on new fronds; croziers eaten at ground level
Control: Apply iron-phosphate slug pellets around the base; reduce surface mulch depth; set beer traps nearby
Vine weevil (larvae)
Signs: Plant wilts and lifts easily — root mass and rhizome consumed
Control: Drench with Steinernema kraussei nematodes in spring or autumn; check roots when repotting
Scale insects
Signs: Brown or grey waxy bumps on stipes; yellowing fronds; sooty mould on honeydew
Control: Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil or neem spray to affected stems
Keep blechnum chilense pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Blechnum chilense pests — FAQ
What is eating my blechnum chilense?
Chilean hard fern (Blechnum chilense) is a bold architectural garden fern. Slugs and snails are the main pest on emerging fronds. Vine weevil larvae attack the rhizome. Scale insects occasionally encrust the stipes. Its tough, leathery fronds resist most foliage feeders, but the large crown can harbour pests in mulch.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on blechnum chilense?
Holes and torn margins on new fronds; croziers eaten at ground level Apply iron-phosphate slug pellets around the base; reduce surface mulch depth; set beer traps nearby
How do I get rid of vine weevil (larvae) on blechnum chilense?
Plant wilts and lifts easily — root mass and rhizome consumed Drench with Steinernema kraussei nematodes in spring or autumn; check roots when repotting
How do I get rid of scale insects on blechnum chilense?
Brown or grey waxy bumps on stipes; yellowing fronds; sooty mould on honeydew Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil or neem spray to affected stems