What's eating my cape primrose?

Cape Primrose is a popular houseplant with soft, fuzzy leaves that attract several indoor pests. Vine weevil larvae eat roots in peat-based mixes. Mealybugs exploit the textured foliage, aphids target flower stems, and thrips scar the petals. Vine weevil notching on leaf edges is often the first sign of serious root damage below.

Irregular notches on leaf edges (adults); larvae silently destroy roots, causing sudden wilting and plant collapse Apply pathogenic nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist compost in late summer/autumn; use vine-weevil killer drench containing imidacloprid as a last resort

White cottony clusters in leaf folds and around stem bases; sticky honeydew; leaves yellow and distort Remove with alcohol-soaked swabs; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap every 7 days; isolate affected plant

Soft green or black colonies on flower stems and new growth; distorted flowers and sticky residue Pinch off and discard heavily infested flower stems; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; repeat weekly

Silver streaks and brown papery scarring on petals and leaves; tiny black frass dots visible under magnification Remove damaged flowers; use yellow or blue sticky traps; apply spinosad-based spray or insecticidal soap weekly