Pest identification
What's eating my sweet alyssum?
Aphids
Signs: Green or grey colonies on shoot tips and flower heads; sticky honeydew and stunted flowering growth.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap; use water jet to dislodge; allow beneficial insects to build up naturally.
Caterpillars (cabbage whites and others)
Signs: Irregular holes eaten in leaves; caterpillars may be hidden inside dense flower clusters.
Control: Hand-pick larvae and eggs; spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) for persistent infestations.
Flea beetles
Signs: Numerous small round holes punched in leaves, giving a shot-hole appearance; seedlings most vulnerable.
Control: Cover young plants with fine insect mesh; grow under protection in spring; water regularly to reduce plant stress.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Seedlings and soft young stems eaten, especially after rain or irrigation.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets; sow in trays and transplant larger plants; lay grit mulch around the base.
Keep sweet alyssum pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Sweet alyssum pests — FAQ
What is eating my sweet alyssum?
Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is most commonly damaged by aphids, which target tender shoot tips and flower clusters. Cabbage white caterpillars and other Lepidoptera larvae feed on foliage because alyssum is in the brassica family. Slugs and snails attack seedlings. Flea beetles make small round holes in leaves in hot, dry spells.
How do I get rid of aphids on sweet alyssum?
Green or grey colonies on shoot tips and flower heads; sticky honeydew and stunted flowering growth. Spray with insecticidal soap; use water jet to dislodge; allow beneficial insects to build up naturally.
How do I get rid of caterpillars (cabbage whites and others) on sweet alyssum?
Irregular holes eaten in leaves; caterpillars may be hidden inside dense flower clusters. Hand-pick larvae and eggs; spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) for persistent infestations.
How do I get rid of flea beetles on sweet alyssum?
Numerous small round holes punched in leaves, giving a shot-hole appearance; seedlings most vulnerable. Cover young plants with fine insect mesh; grow under protection in spring; water regularly to reduce plant stress.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on sweet alyssum?
Seedlings and soft young stems eaten, especially after rain or irrigation. Use iron phosphate pellets; sow in trays and transplant larger plants; lay grit mulch around the base.