Bugs or pests can occasionally make their way to your Philodendron either by not having good growing conditions, or by being transferred from nearby plants.
Either way, they can be really annoying and cause a variety of issues with your plant, especially if not found and treated early.
Below you will find the type of pests that a Philodendron can attract and the solutions you can use to get rid of these bugs for good.
Signs Of Pests
There can be many types of bugs that are hardly visible to the naked eye, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with the symptoms of a pest infestation so you can identify issues early on, even if you don’t see the bugs.
Some signs your Philodendron has bugs include the following.
- Curling leaves
- Droopy or wilted leaves
- White or pale leaves
- Plant is sticky
- Yellow leaves
- Stunted growth
- Holes in the leaves
- Bumps on the upper sides of the leaves
- Fuzzy cotton like stuff on the leaves or stems
- Webbing like material
- Brown leaves or spots
As you can see there are many symptoms that can be caused by bugs and pests, none of which will help the aesthetic appeal of your Philodendron, let alone the health of the plant.
Types Of Pests
There are actually several different types of pests that can latch onto your Philodendron and cause the symptoms listed above.
Here are some of those bugs you may have encountered or may run into sometime in the future.
Scales
Scale bugs are one type of pest you may run into when growing a Philodendron and they can not only be annoying, but they can kill your plant if swarmed in large numbers.
These pests can usually grow up to 1/4 inch in size and vary in color, but they are usually brown or white.
They may appear as small bumps on the leaves or stems of your Philodendron and can often be confused as just normal bumps on the branches.
These pests will puncture tiny holes into the leaves and take nutrients from the sap causing your plant look droopy or dehydrated.
Soft shell scales will also leave behind a honeydew substance that eventually turns into sooty mold which can be a small issue of it’s own.
Then there are armored scales that don’t secrete honeydew, but can be more resilient to pest control solutions.
Aphids
Aphids are even smaller than scales(2-4mm) and can range in color such as green, black, yellow, red, gray or a bit colorless.
They can also have wings in some variations.
These pests can rapidly multiply themselves in large numbers so it’s important that aphids are dealt with as soon as they’re discovered.
These bugs are also sap feeding pests and will take nutrients from the plant at the very least and kill your Philodendron at worst.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are another sap-sucking bug that are actually similar in size to aphids(1/8 inch) but have a different appearance.
The usual color for mealybugs can range between pink and yellowish, but they are mostly white and have a cotton like appearance to them.
These bugs can often be found on the stems and leaves of a Philodendron, but they can also infest the soil as well.
Once again they can and will secrete honeydew and leave behind sooty mold as a result.
Spider Mites
Spider mites are just like the others in the fact that they will feed on the sap of the leaves, causing all sorts of symptoms and damage to the plant.
The main difference between this pest and the others is that the bug is so small (1/50 inch) so you will not be able to see this pest clearly compared to other types of pests.
Although you can’t get a good look of the bug, you may notice tiny white dots that slowly move around (these are the spider mites).
The main giveaway to this pest is it’s signature spider like webbing which can be found mainly on the undersides of the leaves and on or around the stems of your Philodendron.
Solutions For Pests
There are many different ways and means at getting rid of these pests, but it’s really up to you to decide what kind of method you want to go with.
Below are some solutions you can try so you can finally get rid of these annoying bugs that are damaging your plant.
Cotton Swab And Rubbing Alcohol
This is a tried and true method for dealing with all kinds of pests as you’re essentially forcing the bugs off the plant by hand.
The downside to this though is you’re doing this by hand which can be time consuming and overall pretty tedious.
But it certainly is effective at removing bugs from your Philodendron since that’s what you’re here to do.
So grab a cotton swab and dip it into some rubbing alcohol and then you can start wiping down the leaves and or stems to remove the bugs one at a time.
Water Pressure
Another, more simple way to remove bugs can be done with just some water and light pressure to the affected areas of your Philodendron.
This will force most pests off the plant due to the pressure alone which is why it can work so well at removal, but not necessarily for prevention.
When doing this you should make sure the water pressure isn’t too strong or you can tear the leaves or put holes into them.
Also you want to make sure the leaves dry well after to prevent fungal issues from forming as well.
Overall this is a quite easy method to implement and is a good first thing to try when encountering bugs.
Insecticidal Soap
This is a pretty popular method at getting rid of bugs as the insecticidal soap goes to work immediately by removing bugs coating and starving them of oxygen.
Insecticidal soap can also be bought online or it can be made at home with a diy method.
To make some homemade insecticidal soap you can try the following.
- Grab 2 tablespoons of pure liquid soap
- Grab 2 tablespoons of some form of vegetable oil
- Dilute these 2 ingredients into 1 gallon of distilled water
You can then add this to a spray bottle and spray all over the plant to start seeing some results.
Keep in mind you may have to spray on a weekly basis to have the best results and overall desired effects.
If you just want to buy some quality insecticidal soap online then you can find some here.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is also one of the most popular methods for pest control, and for good reason.
This stuff goes to work in many ways by starving the bugs of oxygen and helps prevent bugs from being able to multiply.
Not only that but one of it’s main uses is as a pest repellant.
Unlike other methods, neem oil will actually help prevent bugs and pests from returning after only 1 or 2 uses.
Plus it doubles as an effective fungicide as well.
You can even combine neem oil with insecticidal soap for the one two combo treatment.
When using this stuff, make sure you spray anywhere you think the pests are such as the leaves, branches and or soil.
Also be sure to only spray when your Philodendron is in shade until the neem dries as it’s pretty strong stuff and can burn the leaves if left out before it has a chance to dry.
Overall this method is super effective at eliminating bugs and pests and it’s no surprise it’s growing popularity among gardeners and plant owners alike.
If you’re looking to try neem oil, then I recommend this neem oil.
How To Prevent Bugs And Pests
Now that you know basically everything about these pests and the methods used to get rid of them, you should know some tips to help prevent them from ever showing up again.
- Make sure your growing environment is clean
- Maintain good air circulation
- Don’t overwater your plant
- Give space between other plants
- Isolate your Philodendron from other plants at first sign of bugs
Conclusion
So there you have it, everything you need to know to deal with these annoying bugs on your philodendron.
I hope that you have found what you’re looking for and as always, happy gardening and enjoy the process!