What's eating my palm sedge?

As a houseplant, Carex phyllocephala 'Sparkler' is most troubled by spider mites in dry indoor air — fine webbing and stippled, bronzing leaves are the giveaway. Fungus gnats breed in consistently moist potting mix. Mealybugs occasionally appear at leaf joints. Keeping humidity up and avoiding waterlogged compost prevents most problems.

Tiny stippling and bronzing of leaf surfaces; fine silk webbing visible on undersides in heavy infestations Raise humidity around the plant; wipe leaves with a damp cloth; spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil every 7 days for 3 weeks

Larvae in the potting mix nibble fine roots; adult gnats swarm around the plant but cause little direct leaf damage Allow the top 2–3 cm of compost to dry between waterings; use yellow sticky traps for adults; apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) drench for larvae

White cottony wax at leaf sheaths and stem joints; plants grow slowly and leaves yellow if infestation is heavy Dab with 70% isopropyl alcohol; spray insecticidal soap on all surfaces; isolate plant immediately to prevent spread