Pest identification
What's eating my pinwheel flower?
Mealybugs
Signs: White woolly clusters in leaf axils and stem joints; yellowing and reduced flowering
Control: Remove with alcohol-dipped swabs; spray neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat every 7–10 days
Spider mites
Signs: Yellow stippling on leaves and fine webbing; worst in low-humidity indoor settings
Control: Raise humidity; rinse foliage; apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray weekly
Aphids
Signs: Soft-bodied insects on young shoots and flower buds; honeydew and deformed growth
Control: Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce beneficial insects outdoors
Keep pinwheel flower pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pinwheel Flower pests — FAQ
What is eating my pinwheel flower?
Pinwheel Flower (Tabernaemontana divaricata) is a tropical shrub grown indoors or in warm gardens. As a houseplant it is mainly troubled by mealybugs and spider mites. Outdoors in tropical climates, aphids attack new shoots and whiteflies colonize leaves. Scale insects can establish on woody stems. Regular inspections and neem oil keep pest pressure low.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on pinwheel flower?
White woolly clusters in leaf axils and stem joints; yellowing and reduced flowering Remove with alcohol-dipped swabs; spray neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat every 7–10 days
How do I get rid of spider mites on pinwheel flower?
Yellow stippling on leaves and fine webbing; worst in low-humidity indoor settings Raise humidity; rinse foliage; apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray weekly
How do I get rid of aphids on pinwheel flower?
Soft-bodied insects on young shoots and flower buds; honeydew and deformed growth Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce beneficial insects outdoors