Pest identification
What's eating my silver lady fern?
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippling and bronzing of fronds, fine silky webbing on undersides of pinnae, and overall loss of the glossy silver-green appearance.
Control: Increase ambient humidity to 60%+ using a humidifier or grouping plants. Shower the fronds weekly. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 7 days for three or four cycles.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft oval bumps on the stipe (trunk) and main frond stems; sticky honeydew on lower fronds; yellowing and stunted growth.
Control: Scrub scales off the trunk and stems with a soft brush and alcohol solution. Treat the whole plant with horticultural oil or neem oil; repeat in three weeks.
Mealybugs
Signs: White mealy clusters at the crown junction and frond bases; wilting or yellowing of new croziers.
Control: Dab cotton swabs soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol directly on colonies. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap covering the crown area thoroughly. Repeat every 10 days until resolved.
Keep silver lady fern pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Silver Lady Fern pests — FAQ
What is eating my silver lady fern?
Silver Lady Fern (Blechnum gibbum 'Silver Lady') is most threatened by spider mites in warm, dry indoor air, which cause bronzing of its elegant arching fronds. Scale insects attach to the trunk-like stipe, and mealybugs shelter at the crown. Maintaining high humidity is the primary prevention.
How do I get rid of spider mites on silver lady fern?
Pale stippling and bronzing of fronds, fine silky webbing on undersides of pinnae, and overall loss of the glossy silver-green appearance. Increase ambient humidity to 60%+ using a humidifier or grouping plants. Shower the fronds weekly. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 7 days for three or four cycles.
How do I get rid of scale insects on silver lady fern?
Hard or soft oval bumps on the stipe (trunk) and main frond stems; sticky honeydew on lower fronds; yellowing and stunted growth. Scrub scales off the trunk and stems with a soft brush and alcohol solution. Treat the whole plant with horticultural oil or neem oil; repeat in three weeks.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on silver lady fern?
White mealy clusters at the crown junction and frond bases; wilting or yellowing of new croziers. Dab cotton swabs soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol directly on colonies. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap covering the crown area thoroughly. Repeat every 10 days until resolved.