Pest identification
What's eating my gasteria acinacifolia?
Mealybugs
Signs: White woolly deposits at leaf bases and growing tip; honeydew, sooty mold, and leaf yellowing
Control: Dab with alcohol swab; follow with neem oil spray across the whole plant; repeat every 7 days for a month
Scale insects
Signs: Hard reddish-brown bumps adhering to leaf surfaces; yellowing tissue around each scale
Control: Scrape off with a soft brush, swab with alcohol, apply horticultural oil spray; repeat in 2 weeks
Root mealybugs
Signs: Slow decline; roots covered in white waxy powder when plant is removed from pot
Control: Wash roots clean, soak in diluted neem solution, repot in fresh sterile gritty mix
Keep gasteria acinacifolia pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Gasteria Acinacifolia pests — FAQ
What is eating my gasteria acinacifolia?
Gasteria acinacifolia is a large, sword-leaved Gasteria that stays mostly pest-free indoors. Mealybugs are the number-one risk, hiding where leaves meet the stem. Scale insects occasionally fasten to the tough leaf surfaces. Root mealybugs can develop silently in containers. Alcohol and neem oil handle all three effectively.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on gasteria acinacifolia?
White woolly deposits at leaf bases and growing tip; honeydew, sooty mold, and leaf yellowing Dab with alcohol swab; follow with neem oil spray across the whole plant; repeat every 7 days for a month
How do I get rid of scale insects on gasteria acinacifolia?
Hard reddish-brown bumps adhering to leaf surfaces; yellowing tissue around each scale Scrape off with a soft brush, swab with alcohol, apply horticultural oil spray; repeat in 2 weeks
How do I get rid of root mealybugs on gasteria acinacifolia?
Slow decline; roots covered in white waxy powder when plant is removed from pot Wash roots clean, soak in diluted neem solution, repot in fresh sterile gritty mix