Pest identification
What's eating my passiflora caerulea?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on soft shoot tips and tendrils; honeydew causes sticky foliage and sooty mold
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps
Spider mites
Signs: Fine pale stippling on leaves turning bronzed; webbing on leaf undersides in summer heat
Control: Mist foliage and increase humidity; apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap; release predatory mites outdoors in sheltered spots
Caterpillars
Signs: Sections of leaves eaten, sometimes defoliating whole stems rapidly
Control: Hand-pick caterpillars and egg clusters; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray targeting young larvae
Scale insects
Signs: Brown waxy bumps on stems and leaf midribs; sticky honeydew and sooty mold below
Control: Scrape off manually with a soft toothbrush; apply horticultural oil or systemic neonicotinoid spray in severe cases
Keep passiflora caerulea pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Passiflora caerulea pests — FAQ
What is eating my passiflora caerulea?
Passiflora caerulea in gardens faces caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, and scale insects. It is the sole larval host for several Heliconius butterfly species, but UK/US caterpillars can strip foliage rapidly. Aphids and red spider mite are the most common year-round problems on shoots and undersides of leaves.
How do I get rid of aphids on passiflora caerulea?
Dense colonies on soft shoot tips and tendrils; honeydew causes sticky foliage and sooty mold Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps
How do I get rid of spider mites on passiflora caerulea?
Fine pale stippling on leaves turning bronzed; webbing on leaf undersides in summer heat Mist foliage and increase humidity; apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap; release predatory mites outdoors in sheltered spots
How do I get rid of caterpillars on passiflora caerulea?
Sections of leaves eaten, sometimes defoliating whole stems rapidly Hand-pick caterpillars and egg clusters; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray targeting young larvae
How do I get rid of scale insects on passiflora caerulea?
Brown waxy bumps on stems and leaf midribs; sticky honeydew and sooty mold below Scrape off manually with a soft toothbrush; apply horticultural oil or systemic neonicotinoid spray in severe cases