What's eating my clinacanthus nutans?

Clinacanthus nutans (sabah snake grass), a tropical medicinal herb, is most vulnerable to aphids on its soft growing tips and to spider mites in warm, dry environments. Mealybugs hide along stems. As a herbaceous tropical, it rarely suffers from the tougher pests seen on woody plants. Good sanitation and neem oil are highly effective.

Dense colonies on stem tips and new leaves; curled foliage, honeydew, and ant activity Rinse with water; spray insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil every 4–5 days; encourage beneficial insects outdoors

Speckled, pale leaf surfaces; stippling visible on upper side; fine webbing beneath leaves in dry air Increase ambient humidity, wipe leaves with damp cloth, and spray neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly

White fluff at stem joints and leaf nodes; wilting or yellowing shoots from sap loss Dab each colony with isopropyl-alcohol swab; follow with whole-plant neem oil spray; repeat weekly