Pest identification
What's eating my ficus ruby?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine bronze stippling and webbing on leaf undersides; leaves dull and eventually drop
Control: Increase humidity, shower the plant monthly, and spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil weekly
Mealybugs
Signs: Cottony white masses in leaf axils; leaf yellowing and honeydew deposits
Control: Spot-treat with rubbing alcohol; apply neem oil drench to soil to target root-feeding stages
Scale insects
Signs: Waxy brown bumps on stems; sticky residue and sooty mold on lower leaves
Control: Scrape off physically; treat with horticultural oil sprayed to runoff; repeat after 10 days
Keep ficus ruby pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Ficus Ruby pests — FAQ
What is eating my ficus ruby?
Ficus Ruby shares the pest profile of all Ficus elastica cultivars: spider mites, mealybugs, and scale are the main indoor threats. The deep pink and burgundy leaves may hide stippling damage — check undersides in bright light. Low humidity greatly increases spider mite risk.
How do I get rid of spider mites on ficus ruby?
Fine bronze stippling and webbing on leaf undersides; leaves dull and eventually drop Increase humidity, shower the plant monthly, and spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil weekly
How do I get rid of mealybugs on ficus ruby?
Cottony white masses in leaf axils; leaf yellowing and honeydew deposits Spot-treat with rubbing alcohol; apply neem oil drench to soil to target root-feeding stages
How do I get rid of scale insects on ficus ruby?
Waxy brown bumps on stems; sticky residue and sooty mold on lower leaves Scrape off physically; treat with horticultural oil sprayed to runoff; repeat after 10 days