Pest identification
What's eating my sedum spectabile 'iceberg'?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on new shoot tips in spring, producing sticky honeydew and causing mild leaf curl; populations typically crash naturally as the season progresses.
Control: Dislodge with a strong water jet. Avoid high-nitrogen feed that promotes the lush soft growth aphids prefer. Apply insecticidal soap if colonies persist on flowering stems.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes eaten in soft, emerging spring shoots close to soil level; damage usually minor once leaves mature and thicken.
Control: Apply ferric phosphate slug pellets around crowns in spring when growth first emerges. Remove plant debris and mulch that provides daytime hiding spots.
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Grubs eat roots and the base of the fleshy crown, leading to plant wilting and collapse; adults notch leaf margins but this is rarely serious.
Control: Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist, warm soil in late summer. Inspect the root zone during autumn division and destroy any grubs found.
Keep sedum spectabile 'iceberg' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats showy stonecrop — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common sedum spectabile 'iceberg' problems & fixes
- Sedum spectabile 'Iceberg' watering schedule
- Sedum spectabile 'Iceberg' light requirements
- Full sedum spectabile 'iceberg' care guide
Sedum spectabile 'Iceberg' pests — FAQ
What is eating my sedum spectabile 'iceberg'?
Sedum spectabile 'Iceberg' shares the tough, pest-resistant profile of the Hylotelephium group. Aphids are the most common problem, settling on fresh spring growth. Vine weevil grubs can damage roots in containers, and slugs may graze emerging shoots before leaves toughen up.
How do I get rid of aphids on sedum spectabile 'iceberg'?
Dense colonies on new shoot tips in spring, producing sticky honeydew and causing mild leaf curl; populations typically crash naturally as the season progresses. Dislodge with a strong water jet. Avoid high-nitrogen feed that promotes the lush soft growth aphids prefer. Apply insecticidal soap if colonies persist on flowering stems.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on sedum spectabile 'iceberg'?
Ragged holes eaten in soft, emerging spring shoots close to soil level; damage usually minor once leaves mature and thicken. Apply ferric phosphate slug pellets around crowns in spring when growth first emerges. Remove plant debris and mulch that provides daytime hiding spots.
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on sedum spectabile 'iceberg'?
Grubs eat roots and the base of the fleshy crown, leading to plant wilting and collapse; adults notch leaf margins but this is rarely serious. Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist, warm soil in late summer. Inspect the root zone during autumn division and destroy any grubs found.