What's eating my hirta toad lily?

Hirta Toad Lily is targeted primarily by slugs, which can wipe out emerging spring growth entirely, and by rabbits that browse stems and buds. Aphids pose an indirect threat by spreading a mottle virus with no cure. Plants that escape spring slug damage typically grow strongly with minimal further pest pressure through summer and autumn.

Entire new shoots eaten at soil level in spring; irregular holes in leaves during the growing season; slime trails on stems. Apply iron phosphate pellets and diatomaceous earth as shoots first emerge. Handpick at night. Beer traps nearby keep local populations down.

Clean-cut removal of stems, leaves, and flower buds; plants that are repeatedly browsed produce stunted growth and far fewer blooms. Wire mesh cages or chicken-wire hoops around plants, especially in spring. Physical exclusion is more reliable than repellent sprays.

Soft colonies on stems and shoot tips; aphids vector Tricyrtis floral virus, turning flower color permanently mottled then fully purple. Knock aphids off with water jet and follow up with insecticidal soap. Remove and dispose of (do not compost) any virus-affected plants immediately.