Pest identification
What's eating my low's cymbidium?
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippled patches and fine webbing on leaf surfaces; worse in dry centrally-heated rooms
Control: Increase humidity, rinse leaves, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly until clear
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft waxy lumps on pseudobulbs and stems; sticky honeydew leading to sooty mould
Control: Remove manually with alcohol-soaked cotton; apply horticultural oil spray; repeat every 2 weeks
Aphids
Signs: Clusters of soft-bodied insects on flower spike tips and buds; distorted flowers and sticky leaves
Control: Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap; check again weekly through flowering season
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes or notching in new leaf shoots and pseudobulb bases when kept outdoors
Control: Remove by hand at night; use organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate) around the pot base
Keep low's cymbidium pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Low's Cymbidium pests — FAQ
What is eating my low's cymbidium?
Low's Cymbidium, often grown cool and bright, attracts spider mites in heated indoor spaces and scale on its fleshy pseudobulbs. Aphids cluster on flower spikes in late winter when buds emerge. Slugs and snails may graze new growth if the plant is summered outdoors. Regular inspection and neem oil keep most problems manageable.
How do I get rid of spider mites on low's cymbidium?
Pale stippled patches and fine webbing on leaf surfaces; worse in dry centrally-heated rooms Increase humidity, rinse leaves, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly until clear
How do I get rid of scale insects on low's cymbidium?
Hard or soft waxy lumps on pseudobulbs and stems; sticky honeydew leading to sooty mould Remove manually with alcohol-soaked cotton; apply horticultural oil spray; repeat every 2 weeks
How do I get rid of aphids on low's cymbidium?
Clusters of soft-bodied insects on flower spike tips and buds; distorted flowers and sticky leaves Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap; check again weekly through flowering season
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on low's cymbidium?
Ragged holes or notching in new leaf shoots and pseudobulb bases when kept outdoors Remove by hand at night; use organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate) around the pot base