What's eating my stromanthe jacquinii?

Stromanthe jacquinii, a tropical houseplant with bold patterned foliage, is most threatened by spider mites that colonise leaf undersides in dry indoor air. Mealybugs are a secondary concern in poorly ventilated rooms. Maintaining consistent humidity and keeping leaves clean with occasional showers provides strong passive protection against these common pests.

Fine pale stippling on the upper leaf, silken webbing beneath, and yellowing; heavy infestations cause leaf curl and drop Isolate the plant, shower off mites, raise humidity, and apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to all leaf surfaces every 5–7 days

White cottony clusters in leaf axils, on petioles, and along stems; honeydew residue and sooty mould Treat with alcohol swab per bug, then spray all surfaces with diluted neem oil; repeat weekly for at least 3 weeks

Larvae feed on fine roots in constantly wet soil, causing unexplained wilting and pale foliage in younger plants Allow topsoil to dry between waterings; place yellow sticky traps; apply Bti soil drench to eliminate larvae over 2–3 watering cycles