Pest identification
What's eating my lady of the night?
Aphids
Signs: Clusters on new shoots and flower buds; distorted leaves, sticky honeydew, and black sooty mold on surfaces below.
Control: Blast off with water; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce ladybugs or lacewings as beneficials.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard brown bumps on stems; yellowing leaves and dieback on affected branches as sap is drained.
Control: Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil at crawler stage; prune and dispose of heavily infested stems.
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy tufts in leaf axils and stem joints; honeydew leads to sooty mold and weakens plant growth.
Control: Dab colonies with rubbing alcohol; spray with insecticidal soap; repeat weekly until infestation clears.
Keep lady of the night pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Lady of the Night pests — FAQ
What is eating my lady of the night?
Lady of the Night (Brunfelsia americana) can attract aphids, scale insects, spider mites, and mealybugs. Aphids on tender shoots and scale on woody stems are most commonly reported. Sooty mold following aphid or mealybug honeydew is a secondary sign to watch for. Neem oil or insecticidal soap handles most outbreaks.
How do I get rid of aphids on lady of the night?
Clusters on new shoots and flower buds; distorted leaves, sticky honeydew, and black sooty mold on surfaces below. Blast off with water; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce ladybugs or lacewings as beneficials.
How do I get rid of scale insects on lady of the night?
Hard brown bumps on stems; yellowing leaves and dieback on affected branches as sap is drained. Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil at crawler stage; prune and dispose of heavily infested stems.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on lady of the night?
White waxy tufts in leaf axils and stem joints; honeydew leads to sooty mold and weakens plant growth. Dab colonies with rubbing alcohol; spray with insecticidal soap; repeat weekly until infestation clears.