Pest identification
What's eating my cobweb houseleek?
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony deposits tucked between leaf bases; sticky honeydew and wilting of rosette centre.
Control: Dab with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil drench; isolate affected plants promptly.
Vine weevil
Signs: White grubs in outdoor or patio containers eat roots, causing rosettes to detach and wilt.
Control: Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes to pots in late summer; check root-ball for grubs when repotting.
Root mealybugs
Signs: White powdery coating on roots; plant looks pale and stunted despite adequate water and light.
Control: Remove plant from pot, wash all soil off roots, treat with systemic neem drench, repot in fresh gritty compost.
Keep cobweb houseleek pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cobweb Houseleek pests — FAQ
What is eating my cobweb houseleek?
Cobweb Houseleek is tough and rarely troubled indoors, but mealybugs can hide in the dense web-like hairs, and vine weevil grubs attack roots when grown in outdoor rockeries. Root mealybugs occasionally infest container plants. Its tight rosette discourages most pests. Mealybugs are the most likely indoor threat.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on cobweb houseleek?
White cottony deposits tucked between leaf bases; sticky honeydew and wilting of rosette centre. Dab with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil drench; isolate affected plants promptly.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on cobweb houseleek?
White grubs in outdoor or patio containers eat roots, causing rosettes to detach and wilt. Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes to pots in late summer; check root-ball for grubs when repotting.
How do I get rid of root mealybugs on cobweb houseleek?
White powdery coating on roots; plant looks pale and stunted despite adequate water and light. Remove plant from pot, wash all soil off roots, treat with systemic neem drench, repot in fresh gritty compost.