What's eating my tulip anthurium?

Tulip Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum 'Lumina') is most troubled by mealybugs and spider mites indoors. Scale insects and thrips also attack, distorting spathes and leaves. Inspect the waxy spathe base and leaf undersides regularly; isolate new plants for two weeks before introducing them to your collection.

White cottony masses in leaf axils and spathe bases; sticky honeydew on foliage; leaves yellow and wilt. Dab individual colonies with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol; follow up with neem oil spray weekly for a month; discard heavily infested plants.

Fine stippling on leaf surfaces, pale or bronzed foliage, and webbing on undersides, especially in dry conditions. Increase humidity, wipe leaves with a damp cloth, then apply insecticidal soap or neem oil every five to seven days for three cycles.

Brown or tan dome-shaped bumps on petioles and spathe stems; honeydew leading to sooty mould. Scrape off scales with a soft toothbrush, apply horticultural oil, and repeat fortnightly until no live insects remain.

Silver-streaked or papery scarring on spathes and leaf surfaces; distorted new growth. Remove affected blooms, apply spinosad-based insecticide or insecticidal soap, and hang blue sticky traps to monitor adult populations.