Today we’re going to talk about these top 10 potential plant wreckers so those new to the art of cultivating peace lilies can get the scoop on what to look for and what to do. Seasoned enthusiasts can instead enjoy the ride or even compare notes.

Let’s discuss what you need to know to keep these pests and diseases at bay!

Aphids

A magnifying glass helps spot these pests. Look for gray, red, or white dots on your peace lilies. You’ll know you’ve spotted aphids when you see them moving around!

You can gently remove them with rubber gloves or get some plant-safe aphid pesticides from your local supplier to manage them.

Dasheen Mosaic Virus

When you spot yellow or light green patterns appearing on your peace lily’s leaves, you might be looking at the Dasheen Mosaic virus. It can come from bad potting soil, tools that have come in contact with it, or even just from aphids acting as carriers.

While there is no cure for it, your plant should survive. However, it’s a good idea to clean your tools after tending your peace lily since this disease can quickly spread to other houseplants, such as philodendrons and anthuriums.

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are just so annoying. They won’t hurt your plants; they seem content to harass you by flying around, landing on your nose, or even heading straight for your eyes.

To avoid this plague, ensure that your topsoil dries out between watering. Fungus Gnats will then quickly lose interest in your peace lilies.

Leaf Blight

A particular water mold, specifically Phytophthora nicotianae, can result from splashed water, warm temperatures, and humidity. As a result, black and brown spots will appear on your peace lily’s leaves. Even worse, they can quickly widen and spread.

You’ll want to trim off the infected leaf portions and repot your plant. Remember to isolate it until it is managed. Dispose of the old potting soil and treat tools with a fungicide to kill off the blight and avoid its spread.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are another pest that – if necessary – can be managed with the right pesticides. These creatures are a kind of aphid and look like little balls of fluff, moving around on your plant, sometimes leaving clear deposits that look like plastic waterdrops.

Those waterdrops are called ‘honeydew’ and can cause mold, so if you see honeydew, a fungicide should be used along with a pesticide to get rid of the mealybugs properly.

Mosaic Virus

Different mosaic viruses, aside from Dasheen, can affect your plants. Examples include Cucumber, Arabis, and tobacco mosaic virus. For instance, cucumber can cause streaks to appear, while some Mosaics, such as tobacco, can cause blister blooms and curl leaves.

While many are untreatable, it’s good to familiarize yourself with peace lily-specific mosaic viruses so that you’ll have a protocol prepared if you should come across some that you can help with.

Root Rot

Root rot is one of the biggest worries with peace lilies. Overwatering – and even certain mols or fungi – can cause mushy, sometimes brown roots below, while above, you’ll have dying leaves, new leaves that show yellowing, slow growth, wilting, and more.

Trimming the roots is a good start if you spot it, and you should get in the habit of letting the topsoil dry out between waterings. This will help to keep root rot at bay.

Scale

Scales are hard to spot, as they’ve evolved to look somewhat like a ‘scale’ or spot that appears to be a blemish on a leaf.

These insects subsist on sap that they’ll drain from that leaf, but you can remove them carefully with pruning or a drop of rubbing alcohol once you’ve spotted them. Look for brownish or blackened spots that you don’t remember seeing before – they might be Scales!

Spider Mites

Another pest you’ll need a magnifying glass to see is spider mites look like tiny spiders crawling around on your lilies but don’t let that fool you – leaving them there will soon result in drooping and yellowing leaves.

You can try to brush them off, but you can also get specific pesticides at your local nursery supply that should deal with them quickly without harming your peace lilies.

Thrips

Thrips are the last pest on our list, and these little guys are found in winged and wingless varieties with long, tubular bodies. Most noticeably, they tend to ‘hop’ when discovered, and you’ll want to deal with them quickly as they like to chew on leaves for nourishment, which will eventually brown and even kill them.

You can get rid of them with insecticides, and sticky traps also work, or in a pinch, you can put a few drops of mild soap in a sprayer bottle of water, shaking it up and giving the leaves a good, thorough spray.

The soapy water will eliminate them, but you must keep an eye out as they might still come back!

Final Words

As you can see, beautiful peace lilies are not immune to pests and diseases, but now that you know the ten worst, you’ll be on firm fighting ground and have a much better chance of protecting your plants.

Keep an eye out for the signs we’ve shared today, and stay vigilant. With a bit of luck and a lot of love, your plants will grow up strong, healthy, and beautiful as a reward for your efforts!

As we all know… your peace lilies are definitely worth it!

The post The Ten Worst Peace Lily Pests And Diseases first appeared on Perfect Peace Lily.