Pest identification
What's eating my toad tree?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on new shoots and flower buds; sticky honeydew coating leaves below
Control: Strong water spray; neem oil or insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators such as ladybugs
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft bumps on bark and older stems; sooty mould grows on honeydew residue
Control: Scrub with soapy water and a soft brush; treat with horticultural oil; prune out heavily colonised wood
Mealybugs
Signs: White woolly patches at leaf axils and stem nodes; leaf yellowing and premature drop
Control: Dab with 70% isopropyl alcohol; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; repeat every 7 days
Keep toad tree pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Toad Tree pests — FAQ
What is eating my toad tree?
Toad Tree (Tabernaemontana elegans) is a southern African species used as a garden shrub in warm climates. Outdoors it attracts aphids on new shoots and scale insects on established stems. In cooler regions where it is kept as a container plant indoors, mealybugs and spider mites are the main threats. Birds occasionally feed on the ripe orange fruit pods without harming the plant.
How do I get rid of aphids on toad tree?
Dense colonies on new shoots and flower buds; sticky honeydew coating leaves below Strong water spray; neem oil or insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators such as ladybugs
How do I get rid of scale insects on toad tree?
Hard or soft bumps on bark and older stems; sooty mould grows on honeydew residue Scrub with soapy water and a soft brush; treat with horticultural oil; prune out heavily colonised wood
How do I get rid of mealybugs on toad tree?
White woolly patches at leaf axils and stem nodes; leaf yellowing and premature drop Dab with 70% isopropyl alcohol; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; repeat every 7 days