Pest identification
What's eating my resurrection gesneriad?
Slugs and snails
Signs: Irregular holes or completely shredded rosette leaves; silvery slime trails on foliage and nearby substrate
Control: Surround plants with a ring of horticultural grit; use iron phosphate pellets or go out at dusk to hand-pick; raise pots off the ground
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy fluff in leaf axils and around the crown; leaves yellow and growth slows as sap is drained
Control: Dab colonies with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab; repeat every 5-7 days; discard heavily infested plants to protect the collection
Cyclamen mites
Signs: Stunted, distorted new growth at the center of the rosette; leaves appear thickened or twisted; may look furry and bronzed
Control: Mites are microscopic — isolate immediately; treat with a miticide labeled for ornamentals or discard and propagate from unaffected leaf cuttings
Keep resurrection gesneriad pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Resurrection Gesneriad pests — FAQ
What is eating my resurrection gesneriad?
Haberlea rhodopensis is a tough, hairy-leaved alpine gesneriad but its soft rosettes attract slugs and snails outdoors, and mealybugs or cyclamen mites indoors. Inspect leaf axils closely; hairy foliage can hide colonies. Treat with isopropyl alcohol swabs for mealybugs, and use slug barriers or pellets for outdoor specimens in a rockery.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on resurrection gesneriad?
Irregular holes or completely shredded rosette leaves; silvery slime trails on foliage and nearby substrate Surround plants with a ring of horticultural grit; use iron phosphate pellets or go out at dusk to hand-pick; raise pots off the ground
How do I get rid of mealybugs on resurrection gesneriad?
White waxy fluff in leaf axils and around the crown; leaves yellow and growth slows as sap is drained Dab colonies with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab; repeat every 5-7 days; discard heavily infested plants to protect the collection
How do I get rid of cyclamen mites on resurrection gesneriad?
Stunted, distorted new growth at the center of the rosette; leaves appear thickened or twisted; may look furry and bronzed Mites are microscopic — isolate immediately; treat with a miticide labeled for ornamentals or discard and propagate from unaffected leaf cuttings