Pest identification
What's eating my saucer plant?
Aphids
Signs: Green or blackfly clustering at the rosette center and on flower stems; honeydew, sooty mold, and distorted growth.
Control: Blast off with water; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly; encourage natural predators such as lacewings and ladybugs outdoors.
Mealybugs
Signs: White fluffy wax at stem nodes and around the rosette base; slow decline and sticky deposits.
Control: Remove with alcohol swabs; apply neem oil spray every 7 days for 3 weeks; check the stem all the way to the soil line.
Vine weevil
Signs: Grubs hollow out the root ball and lower stem in containers; plant topples or wilts suddenly without other explanation.
Control: Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes in late summer to damp compost; replace potting mix and inspect roots when repotting each spring.
Keep saucer plant pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Saucer Plant pests — FAQ
What is eating my saucer plant?
Saucer Plant (Aeonium undulatum) is a tall, single-stemmed aeonium most troubled by aphids on its rosette and flower spike. Mealybugs shelter at the stem joints. Vine weevil is a significant risk in UK patio containers. Because it grows as a single rosette on a long stem, the entire plant can be lost if the stem base is damaged.
How do I get rid of aphids on saucer plant?
Green or blackfly clustering at the rosette center and on flower stems; honeydew, sooty mold, and distorted growth. Blast off with water; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly; encourage natural predators such as lacewings and ladybugs outdoors.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on saucer plant?
White fluffy wax at stem nodes and around the rosette base; slow decline and sticky deposits. Remove with alcohol swabs; apply neem oil spray every 7 days for 3 weeks; check the stem all the way to the soil line.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on saucer plant?
Grubs hollow out the root ball and lower stem in containers; plant topples or wilts suddenly without other explanation. Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes in late summer to damp compost; replace potting mix and inspect roots when repotting each spring.