What's eating my coffee plant?

Coffea arabica grown as a tropical houseplant or conservatory plant is prone to spider mites in dry indoor air, mealybugs in leaf axils, and scale on woody stems. Outdoors or in greenhouses, whitefly and aphids also attack. The glossy leaves make pests visible — check undersides regularly as mites establish there first.

Fine webbing on undersides of glossy leaves; yellow stippling or bronzing across the leaf surface; severe infestations cause leaf drop. Raise humidity; wipe leaves with a damp cloth; apply neem oil or insecticidal soap every 5–7 days; keep plants away from heating vents.

White cottony deposits in leaf axils and on new growth; sticky honeydew; leaves become distorted or drop. Treat with alcohol swabs on contact; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; isolate the plant immediately to prevent spread.

Hard brown bumps on stems and the undersides of leaves; weakening of stems; sooty mold on sugary secretions. Scrape off scales with a toothbrush dipped in soapy water; follow with a horticultural oil spray; repeat every 2–3 weeks.

Tiny white moth-like insects that fly up when the plant is disturbed; leaves pale and yellow; sticky sooty residue builds up. Use yellow sticky traps; spray undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap or neem oil; in greenhouses introduce Encarsia formosa parasitic wasps.