Pest identification
What's eating my cobra lily?
Slugs & Snails
Signs: Holes and ragged edges on leaves and the spathe; silvery mucus trails; damage worst in cool, wet springs.
Control: Scatter iron phosphate pellets; use crushed eggshell or grit mulch; hand-pick in the evening.
Vine Weevil
Signs: Adults notch leaf margins; grubs destroy the tuber underground, causing sudden collapse of the plant.
Control: Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in early autumn when soil is moist and above 5 °C; check tubers at lifting.
Aphids
Signs: Small colonies on the flower scape in spring; honeydew and sooty mould on surrounding vegetation.
Control: Pinch off and dispose of heavily infested parts; spray with insecticidal soap if colonies are large.
Keep cobra lily pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cobra Lily pests — FAQ
What is eating my cobra lily?
Cobra Lily (Arisaema sikokianum) is a shade-garden jewel most troubled by slugs and snails, which rasp holes in the delicate spathe and leaves in the damp conditions it prefers. Vine weevils attack the tuber in containers. Aphids appear occasionally on the scape. Deer and rabbits may browse the foliage in open gardens.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on cobra lily?
Holes and ragged edges on leaves and the spathe; silvery mucus trails; damage worst in cool, wet springs. Scatter iron phosphate pellets; use crushed eggshell or grit mulch; hand-pick in the evening.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on cobra lily?
Adults notch leaf margins; grubs destroy the tuber underground, causing sudden collapse of the plant. Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in early autumn when soil is moist and above 5 °C; check tubers at lifting.
How do I get rid of aphids on cobra lily?
Small colonies on the flower scape in spring; honeydew and sooty mould on surrounding vegetation. Pinch off and dispose of heavily infested parts; spray with insecticidal soap if colonies are large.