Pest identification
What's eating my daphne cneorum?
Aphids
Signs: Soft growing tips curl and are coated in sticky honeydew; sooty mold may follow.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil solution, targeting shoot tips. Repeat every 7–10 days until infestation clears.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Irregular holes in low-lying leaves and young shoots; slime trails visible in the morning.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets (wildlife-safe) around the plant base; remove hiding debris; hand-pick at night.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or waxy bumps on stems; yellowing leaves and weak growth.
Control: Treat with horticultural oil when dormant; dab individual scales with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab.
Keep daphne cneorum pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Daphne cneorum pests — FAQ
What is eating my daphne cneorum?
Daphne cneorum (garland daphne) is a low-growing alpine shrub most troubled by aphids on its soft new shoots and occasionally scale. Slugs and snails can damage the low foliage in wet conditions. Keeping the plant well-drained and checking regularly in spring stops problems before they set back this slow-growing gem.
How do I get rid of aphids on daphne cneorum?
Soft growing tips curl and are coated in sticky honeydew; sooty mold may follow. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil solution, targeting shoot tips. Repeat every 7–10 days until infestation clears.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on daphne cneorum?
Irregular holes in low-lying leaves and young shoots; slime trails visible in the morning. Use iron phosphate pellets (wildlife-safe) around the plant base; remove hiding debris; hand-pick at night.
How do I get rid of scale insects on daphne cneorum?
Hard or waxy bumps on stems; yellowing leaves and weak growth. Treat with horticultural oil when dormant; dab individual scales with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab.