Pest identification
What's eating my rusty foxglove?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on new shoots and flower stems cause distorted growth, sticky honeydew, and sooty mold.
Control: Blast off with a strong jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; encourage ladybugs and lacewings.
Slugs & snails
Signs: Ragged irregular holes in basal leaves and young rosettes, especially after rain or irrigation; silvery slime trails.
Control: Apply iron phosphate pellets around the base at dusk; use copper tape barriers on containers; hand-pick at night.
Japanese beetle
Signs: Adults skeletonize foliage and petals in midsummer, leaving lacy, brown tissue behind.
Control: Hand-pick adults into soapy water in early morning; neem oil as a repellent; avoid pheromone traps near the planting.
Deer
Signs: Entire stems and foliage browsed to stubs, typically overnight; no clean cut — torn ragged edges.
Control: Erect deer fencing or surround with wire cages; apply deer repellent spray monthly, especially after rain.
Keep rusty foxglove pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Rusty Foxglove pests — FAQ
What is eating my rusty foxglove?
Rusty Foxglove is most commonly attacked by aphids clustering on new shoots and buds, and by slugs that shred basal rosettes. Japanese beetles skeletonize the foliage in midsummer. Deer may browse the entire plant to ground level. Vigilance in spring and early summer is your first line of defense.
How do I get rid of aphids on rusty foxglove?
Dense colonies on new shoots and flower stems cause distorted growth, sticky honeydew, and sooty mold. Blast off with a strong jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; encourage ladybugs and lacewings.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on rusty foxglove?
Ragged irregular holes in basal leaves and young rosettes, especially after rain or irrigation; silvery slime trails. Apply iron phosphate pellets around the base at dusk; use copper tape barriers on containers; hand-pick at night.
How do I get rid of japanese beetle on rusty foxglove?
Adults skeletonize foliage and petals in midsummer, leaving lacy, brown tissue behind. Hand-pick adults into soapy water in early morning; neem oil as a repellent; avoid pheromone traps near the planting.
How do I get rid of deer on rusty foxglove?
Entire stems and foliage browsed to stubs, typically overnight; no clean cut — torn ragged edges. Erect deer fencing or surround with wire cages; apply deer repellent spray monthly, especially after rain.