Pest identification
What's eating my kohleria digitaliflora?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine yellowish stippling on the velvet-textured leaves; webbing at growing tips; foliage may appear dull and lose its characteristic rich green if infestation is prolonged.
Control: Raise humidity around the plant. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray to all surfaces, paying special attention to undersides. Repeat weekly for four consecutive weeks.
Thrips
Signs: Silvery-grey streaking on petals and leaf undersides; distorted flower buds; tiny black frass specks beneath leaves.
Control: Remove infested blooms. Treat with spinosad or insecticidal soap spray weekly. Use blue sticky traps to monitor thrip populations and assess when the infestation is declining.
Mealybugs
Signs: White fluffy colonies hidden in hairy stem joints and leaf axils; leaves may yellow and drop; sticky honeydew attracts sooty mould.
Control: Dab individual colonies with an alcohol swab. Spray the whole plant with neem oil solution every 7–10 days for at least three treatments. Inspect roots too, as root mealybugs can also occur.
Keep kohleria digitaliflora pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Kohleria digitaliflora pests — FAQ
What is eating my kohleria digitaliflora?
Kohleria digitaliflora is a Colombian species grown indoors for its foxglove-like flowers and velvety foliage. Spider mites are the most prevalent pest, enabled by low humidity. Thrips and mealybugs round out its main threats. Its hairy leaves make it harder to spot pests early — examine undersides with a hand lens monthly.
How do I get rid of spider mites on kohleria digitaliflora?
Fine yellowish stippling on the velvet-textured leaves; webbing at growing tips; foliage may appear dull and lose its characteristic rich green if infestation is prolonged. Raise humidity around the plant. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray to all surfaces, paying special attention to undersides. Repeat weekly for four consecutive weeks.
How do I get rid of thrips on kohleria digitaliflora?
Silvery-grey streaking on petals and leaf undersides; distorted flower buds; tiny black frass specks beneath leaves. Remove infested blooms. Treat with spinosad or insecticidal soap spray weekly. Use blue sticky traps to monitor thrip populations and assess when the infestation is declining.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on kohleria digitaliflora?
White fluffy colonies hidden in hairy stem joints and leaf axils; leaves may yellow and drop; sticky honeydew attracts sooty mould. Dab individual colonies with an alcohol swab. Spray the whole plant with neem oil solution every 7–10 days for at least three treatments. Inspect roots too, as root mealybugs can also occur.