What's eating my canyon liveforever?

Canyon Liveforever is a compact California cliff-dwelling Dudleya kept as a houseplant outside its native range. Like other Dudleyas, mealybugs pose the greatest indoor risk, nestling in the tight leaf rosettes. Aphids can target flower stalks in bloom. The powdery leaf coating is permanent — use cotton swabs rather than sprays when treating individual pests.

White woolly masses between leaves and at the stem base; leaf yellowing and slowed growth indicate long-standing infestation Remove with a cotton swab soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol; keep spray off leaf surfaces; follow up weekly until no signs remain

Soft-bodied insects clustering on flower stems; honeydew secretion and minor distortion of emerging growth Wipe stalks carefully with an insecticidal soap-moistened cloth; avoid wetting the rosette; repeat if new colonies appear

Small hard bumps on stems; leaves beneath may yellow; honeydew deposit indicates active scale Scrape off manually with a toothbrush; dab with isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil to stems as a preventive follow-up