Pest identification
What's eating my petrocosmea kerrii?
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony clusters in leaf axils and at the base of the rosette; sticky honeydew; leaves yellow and distort.
Control: Dab individual bugs with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol; treat the whole plant with dilute neem oil solution and repeat weekly for a month.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine webbing on leaf undersides, pale stippling across the leaf surface; foliage looks dull and dusty.
Control: Raise humidity, rinse foliage with a soft cloth dampened with water, then spray with insecticidal soap or dilute neem oil every 5-7 days until clear.
Fungus gnats
Signs: Tiny dark flies around soil; larvae chew fine roots, causing wilting and poor growth in seedlings.
Control: Allow the top 2-3 cm of soil to dry between waterings; use yellow sticky traps for adults; drench soil with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) for larvae.
Keep petrocosmea kerrii pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Petrocosmea kerrii pests — FAQ
What is eating my petrocosmea kerrii?
Petrocosmea kerrii is a compact indoor gesneriad grown for its rosette of velvety leaves and small violet flowers. Indoors it faces the usual houseplant pests: mealybugs hide in leaf axils, spider mites colonise the undersides of leaves, and fungus gnats breed in constantly moist soil. Mealybugs are the most common threat.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on petrocosmea kerrii?
White cottony clusters in leaf axils and at the base of the rosette; sticky honeydew; leaves yellow and distort. Dab individual bugs with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol; treat the whole plant with dilute neem oil solution and repeat weekly for a month.
How do I get rid of spider mites on petrocosmea kerrii?
Fine webbing on leaf undersides, pale stippling across the leaf surface; foliage looks dull and dusty. Raise humidity, rinse foliage with a soft cloth dampened with water, then spray with insecticidal soap or dilute neem oil every 5-7 days until clear.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on petrocosmea kerrii?
Tiny dark flies around soil; larvae chew fine roots, causing wilting and poor growth in seedlings. Allow the top 2-3 cm of soil to dry between waterings; use yellow sticky traps for adults; drench soil with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) for larvae.