Pest identification
What's eating my saintpaulia 'jolly ellie'?
Cyclamen mites
Signs: New centre leaves curl, harden, and pale; flower buds deform or fail to open; overall plant looks stunted.
Control: Isolate immediately; discard heavily infested specimens; treat remaining plants with an abamectin-based miticide; sterilise all tools and shelving.
Mealybugs
Signs: White fluffy deposits at stem bases and leaf joints; honeydew drips cause sooty mould; growth and flowering decline.
Control: Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; apply dilute neem oil spray weekly until clear; keep the plant well away from others.
Thrips
Signs: Silvery, distorted streaks on petals; petals brown at edges; flowers drop earlier than expected.
Control: Remove and dispose of all open flowers; spray spinosad or insecticidal soap every 7 days; blue sticky traps help monitor population.
Keep saintpaulia 'jolly ellie' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Saintpaulia 'Jolly Ellie' pests — FAQ
What is eating my saintpaulia 'jolly ellie'?
Saintpaulia 'Jolly Ellie' is a decorative indoor African violet. Like all African violets it is vulnerable to cyclamen mites that distort the crown, mealybugs hiding in the leaf axils, and thrips that scar the blooms. Cyclamen mites spread invisibly between plants and are the most serious threat to any violet collection.
How do I get rid of cyclamen mites on saintpaulia 'jolly ellie'?
New centre leaves curl, harden, and pale; flower buds deform or fail to open; overall plant looks stunted. Isolate immediately; discard heavily infested specimens; treat remaining plants with an abamectin-based miticide; sterilise all tools and shelving.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on saintpaulia 'jolly ellie'?
White fluffy deposits at stem bases and leaf joints; honeydew drips cause sooty mould; growth and flowering decline. Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; apply dilute neem oil spray weekly until clear; keep the plant well away from others.
How do I get rid of thrips on saintpaulia 'jolly ellie'?
Silvery, distorted streaks on petals; petals brown at edges; flowers drop earlier than expected. Remove and dispose of all open flowers; spray spinosad or insecticidal soap every 7 days; blue sticky traps help monitor population.