Pest identification
What's eating my persian shield?
Spider mites
Signs: Dusty pale stippling dulls the metallic purple iridescence; webbing on leaf undersides in dry conditions
Control: Raise humidity; spray neem oil or insecticidal soap to all surfaces every 7 days; rinse foliage between treatments
Aphids
Signs: Clusters of small insects on soft shoot tips; distorted new leaves; sticky honeydew and sooty mold
Control: Blast off with a strong jet of water; apply insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators such as lacewings outdoors
Whitefly
Signs: Tiny white insects that fly up when foliage is disturbed; yellowing leaves; sooty mold from honeydew
Control: Hang yellow sticky traps; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil to leaf undersides twice weekly; remove heavily infested leaves
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes in leaves near soil level; silvery mucus trails on stems and surrounding soil at night
Control: Apply iron phosphate slug pellets around the base; place copper tape on pots; remove by hand at night
Keep persian shield pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Persian Shield pests — FAQ
What is eating my persian shield?
Persian Shield suffers most from spider mites when kept indoors or during hot, dry summers. Grown outdoors or in conservatories it also attracts aphids on the soft new growth and whitefly. Slugs can damage stems at soil level in humid outdoor beds. The iridescent foliage shows feeding damage quickly — inspect weekly during summer.
How do I get rid of spider mites on persian shield?
Dusty pale stippling dulls the metallic purple iridescence; webbing on leaf undersides in dry conditions Raise humidity; spray neem oil or insecticidal soap to all surfaces every 7 days; rinse foliage between treatments
How do I get rid of aphids on persian shield?
Clusters of small insects on soft shoot tips; distorted new leaves; sticky honeydew and sooty mold Blast off with a strong jet of water; apply insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators such as lacewings outdoors
How do I get rid of whitefly on persian shield?
Tiny white insects that fly up when foliage is disturbed; yellowing leaves; sooty mold from honeydew Hang yellow sticky traps; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil to leaf undersides twice weekly; remove heavily infested leaves
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on persian shield?
Ragged holes in leaves near soil level; silvery mucus trails on stems and surrounding soil at night Apply iron phosphate slug pellets around the base; place copper tape on pots; remove by hand at night