Pest identification
What's eating my sky plant?
Scale insects
Signs: Tiny hard bumps on leaf bases and between trichomes; plant looks dull and stops producing offsets.
Control: Remove by gently rubbing with a soft toothbrush under running water; soak in a dilute neem oil solution (1 tsp per litre) for 10 minutes, then air dry completely in good airflow.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony clusters deep in the leaf axils near the base of the rosette; sticky secretions on nearby leaves.
Control: Dab individual mealybugs with a cotton swab soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol; repeat weekly until no new colonies appear.
Spider mites
Signs: Pale or silvery leaf tips and fine webbing across the rosette, usually in very dry, warm indoor conditions.
Control: Soak in cool water for 20 minutes; improve air circulation and humidity around the display; repeat neem soaks if mites persist.
Keep sky plant pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Sky Plant pests — FAQ
What is eating my sky plant?
Tillandsia ionantha (Sky Plant) is an air plant that skips soil, which eliminates fungus gnats and root pests entirely. Scale insects and mealybugs are its main threats, hiding in the leaf rosette. Spider mites can appear when air is very dry. Regular soaking and good airflow are the best defences.
How do I get rid of scale insects on sky plant?
Tiny hard bumps on leaf bases and between trichomes; plant looks dull and stops producing offsets. Remove by gently rubbing with a soft toothbrush under running water; soak in a dilute neem oil solution (1 tsp per litre) for 10 minutes, then air dry completely in good airflow.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on sky plant?
White cottony clusters deep in the leaf axils near the base of the rosette; sticky secretions on nearby leaves. Dab individual mealybugs with a cotton swab soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol; repeat weekly until no new colonies appear.
How do I get rid of spider mites on sky plant?
Pale or silvery leaf tips and fine webbing across the rosette, usually in very dry, warm indoor conditions. Soak in cool water for 20 minutes; improve air circulation and humidity around the display; repeat neem soaks if mites persist.