Pest identification
What's eating my blue potato bush?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on tender new shoots and flower buds; sticky honeydew, curled leaves, and weakened shoot tips.
Control: Spray plants with a firm jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce ladybirds as natural predators.
Spider mites
Signs: Yellow stippling and fine webbing on leaf undersides; foliage looks dull and may drop in hot dry spells.
Control: Raise humidity; spray leaf undersides with water and neem oil; avoid drought stress which encourages mite flare-ups.
Thrips
Signs: Silver-flecked streaks on petals and leaves; distorted or discoloured flowers; tiny dark frass deposits visible.
Control: Apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray; use blue sticky traps to monitor populations; remove and bin damaged flowers.
Keep blue potato bush pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Blue Potato Bush pests — FAQ
What is eating my blue potato bush?
Blue Potato Bush (Lycianthes rantonnetii) is most reliably bothered by aphids and spider mites — aphids being the number one complaint, sometimes appearing in large clouds on new growth in summer. Thrips can also be an issue. Neem oil or horticultural oil spray manages both; ladybirds are effective natural allies.
How do I get rid of aphids on blue potato bush?
Dense colonies on tender new shoots and flower buds; sticky honeydew, curled leaves, and weakened shoot tips. Spray plants with a firm jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce ladybirds as natural predators.
How do I get rid of spider mites on blue potato bush?
Yellow stippling and fine webbing on leaf undersides; foliage looks dull and may drop in hot dry spells. Raise humidity; spray leaf undersides with water and neem oil; avoid drought stress which encourages mite flare-ups.
How do I get rid of thrips on blue potato bush?
Silver-flecked streaks on petals and leaves; distorted or discoloured flowers; tiny dark frass deposits visible. Apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray; use blue sticky traps to monitor populations; remove and bin damaged flowers.