There are several pests that can make it difficult for alocasia to grow. If you recognize them in time and act, the worst will be prevented.
The tropical plant makes certain demands on its environment. If these are not met, this weakens the plant and at the same time makes it more susceptible to diseases and pest infestation. You can do a lot to keep the alocasia he althy if you water the plant sufficiently, avoid waterlogging, ensure high humidity and a bright but not too sunny location, and ensure constant temperatures.
Alocasia is susceptible to infestation with:
- Whiteflies
- spider mites
- Aphids
- scale insects
Whiteflies - the leaves are in danger
If the plant is infested with the whitefly, this will not go unnoticed by the attentive plant lover. Sticky honeydew is noticeable when looking at the leaves. These are the excrements of the insects. In addition, the leaves get spots and gradually turn yellow. The whiteflies are also easy to spot visually, as they fly up when the plant is touched.
What to do?
Air out well. If the plant is in the greenhouse, spiders or parasitic wasps can be used as natural predators. If the plant is on the windowsill, yellow panels can also be used. These specially coated stickers can be attached directly to the plant. The bugs will be attracted and stick to the yellow sticker.
Spider mites - the stubborn destroyers
Although uninvited, spider mites are unfortunately frequent guests of the alocasia. In spring, in particular, the infestation occurs more frequently and small bright spots appear on the leaves, which quickly merge into a larger bronze-colored spot. These are sucking points that become discolored due to the ingress of air. If the plant is already heavily infested, a delicate network of webs will also appear.
What to do?
Several methods are suitable for natural control. Although there is no 100% guarantee, byBy simply rinsing off the plant, more than 90% of the pests can usually be removed reliably and in an environmentally friendly manner if the infestation is lighter. Use a medium-hard jet of water and aim it at the underside of the leaves.
» Tip: If the root ball is packed in a plastic bag and sealed airtight before showering, the plant will not be soaked too much and the pests cannot get into the potting soil.
If the infestation is fairly small, you can also treat the individual leaves with a washing-up liquid solution. The oviposition takes place mainly in the corners of the leaf veins. To completely destroy the infestation, this treatment should be done regularly.
An effective natural control method is treatment with plant decoctions. To do this, brew nettle leaves, garlic or onion pieces and let the brew steep for about 24 hours. The plants can be watered with these solutions, or you can spray all affected parts of the plant thoroughly.
Spider mites have a number of natural predators. If you have the opportunity, you can use natural predators such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps, lacewings or assassin bugs.
Aphids - destroyers at work
Infestation with aphids is unfortunately also not uncommon. If these are observed, they have settled on the plant to suck out the nutritious plant sap. The leaves gradually wilt and yellow and eventually fall off. Nevertheless, getting rid of aphids is not a big feat and the alocasia usually survives this without suffering any major damage.
What to do?
In the case of a lighter infestation, the aphids can usually be driven away by a long shower with warm water. If some detergent is added to the water, the solution can be used to clean the leaves. Affected plant parts can also be cut off. The Alocasia tolerates pruning all year round.
Spraying with a solution of nettle leaves, onions or garlic also promises success. Another possibility are natural predators such as gall midges, spiders or ladybugs.
Scales - the stubborn suckers
Scale insects literally suck on the plants and feed on their sap. This takes the energy out of the plant. If the infestation goes undetected for a long time, the affected plant can be seriously damaged.
What to do?
Even if the scale insects are easy to spot with the naked eye - a courageous collection is usually the casenot a good idea. If you catch a pregnant female, this procedure can spread the eggs all over the plant. Scraping with a knife should also be done carefully. The eggs are stored directly under the carapace.
The individual treatment of the scale insects requires a little patience. To do this, use a cotton ball soaked in washing-up liquid or alcohol and press it onto the scale insect.
» Tip: Scale insects are quite difficult to get rid of. If the infestation was not recognized early, there is often no avoiding chemical treatment.
Pest Control Small 1×1
| Pest Species | Combat |
| White Fly | ▶ frequent ventilation ▶ spiders or parasitic wasps as natural predators |
| spider mite | ▶ Shower off the plant ▶ Rub the leaves with detergent solution ▶ Brew of nettle leaves, onions or garlic ▶ Gall midges or parasitic wasps as natural predators |
| Aphids | ▶ Wipe leaves with detergent solution or shower off plant ▶ Use nettle or onion stock ▶ Ladybirds, spiders or gall midges as natural predators |
| scale insects | ▶ Wipe off with detergent solution or alcohol ▶ Carefully scrape off pests ▶ Chemical control for stronger infestations |
Yellow leaves - what now?
The leaves are the whole alocasia adornment. It will be all the more noticeable when these suddenly appear dull and lackluster or even turn yellow.
This can have several causes:
- The leaf is old and naturally dying.
- Waterlogging is present - plant needs new substrate as soon as possible.
- Plant is too dry and urgently needs more humidity.
- The plant is too cold and should urgently change location.