First photo is the only one that’s relevant right now really… the others are to show my trauma over the past months. 😅 Last pic is when it was still an exciting new find for me.
Covered in diatomaceous earth because I saw ANOTHER MITE TODAY. 😡 Chopped all the damaged leaves off. It just keeps growing new leaves after the old ones get damaged.
Xanthosoma Mickey Mouse.. pain in my ass. I’m seriously considering just ditching it.
TLDR: brought this home on discount, later found a spider mite infestation… can’t get them to go away
by motolady
32 Comments
I don’t have any advice, but I am sending all my love and light to you to save this guy!
https://preview.redd.it/62wy0nl38qef1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79c4d3c527cd9622cda25c8bfdfbeb5a7c6c1769
I’ve had v good success with a long neem oil + dawn dish soap bath, like 1hr+, killing all spider mites
Hang in there! If you’ve finally reached the diatomaceous earth option, you have to be in it for the long haul. Applying it takes commitment because it comes with the knowledge it’s going to get everywhere. You have what it takes!
You got this! Don’t let the spider mites claim another victim.
burn it
Looks like a butterfly
I’ve loved plants all my life and have always taken great pleasure in ĝrowing, nurturing and caring for them but…..I will reach a point where a major pest infestation will mark the point of no return….no looking back, no regrets…done 🙄
Have you figured out what causes the puckering on the variegated parts like in your one pic? I’m ready to throw mine out as well… it’s not looking great, but it just won’t die
Plants are in our lives to be pretty and bring us joy. If they stop sparking joy, then they have to leave my house. (Sometimes they go to the bin, sometimes to my sister if she has more patience than I do!)
I’m not sure you should be using diatomaceous earth indoors, especially in that amount, since it’s linked to cancer. Breathing it in creates lung scarring similar (although milder) to asbestos.
What insecticides are you using? If you live in the US, you have many options, unlike us in Europe. Forget “natural” remedies, natural doesn’t automatically mean healthy and artificial doesn’t mean it’s going to harm you. The only natural insecticides effective indoors are predatory mites or ladybugs and some species of fungi. But those are a bit harder to get. Buy some real insecticides and apply religiously every three to four days for two weeks and you should be fine.
The only way I’ve gotten completely 100% rid of pests is using heavy-duty pesticides. Organic stuff like Neem just seemed to make the plants’ health even worse & never solved the pest issue. I would absolutely never ever ever ever use these pesticides outside/ on outdoor plants. I wear a mask and gloves while using it contained in the bathroom with the windows open and wait for them to dry before putting them back.
I got them regularly :/ and these cuties are impossible to clean, I think this was the first plant I ever regretted buying. Purely for the inconvenience of having to treat it so often to keep it from being the source of spread 😅 at least it gets mites instead of anything else first?
I had a plant that had a continuous problem w bugs. I put it out of the curb and wished it well. I explained in my post that it had bugs. A plant lover picked it up and I hope they lived happily ever after.
Hey so I have a solution to your problem. Cut off all the leaves and grow from a stump. They look like shit anyway, why are you trying to save them? It’s literally the best option to get rid of spider mites. New leaves will grow in and there won’t be any mites. Save yourself the effort and heartache of trying to treat the plant and just do it, it won’t kill the plant.
If your other option is to throw away the plant, just try this first.
Spider mites are easy! Just contain away from the plants and spray with neem or Captain Jacks and leave for a few weeks in its container/bag, up to a month, while watering normally.
Giiirrrlll, just get rid of the soil & pot it’s in. Then treat every inch of that plant with Neem or whatever liquid mixture your preference is & replant in a new pot.
Toss it, make sure you have the mites under control, and when you’re sure they’re gone I’ll send you one. I bought one off a lady a few months back on a whim but my Anthurium collection has grown to the point where I don’t really have the room for it, or the energy to keep it going. Send me a DM and it’s yours.
So we see the top of the leaf, but what’s going on on the underneath, which is where spider mites are. Did you put the diatomaceous earth there? And don’t forget it will take repeat applications. Any pesticide you use, it will take repeat applications because first you kill off the adults and then you have to keep killing off the young ones as they hatch out
No. Throw it away.
Tbh I thought you coated it with cotija cheese in that first photo and then I read the actual post 😅
Umm. I just – I don’t – I’m going to – can you – I’m not sure if – I can’t take – I’m uncomfortable looking at this.
I usually have success with killing spider mites by dousing the plant in rubbing alcohol, like even being as desperate as filling a cup or bucket with rubbing alcohol and submerging the plant for a few minutes, which seeps into all the little nooks and crannies on the plant. Then I let the plant air dry away from sunlight. It only takes a few minutes at most because rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly.
But seriously, if a plant is causing you that much stress, it’s okay to get rid of it. Your mental health is more important than ANY plant.
She’s a bulb-like plant. Chop her, yank her out if her soil, spray the hell out of it with the strongest insecticide you’ve got, then repot her. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you can probably pop her outside for the summer and the sun and humidity will help her grow. I have one myself that I put out in the summer and store as bulbs over the winter.
SAME plant SAME problem!!! Ugh… went thru the same thing, using neem and insecticide… and they kept coming back. Leave kept dying and sending up a new one.
A month ago I treated with a solution recommended to me, and I haven’t seen them since!!
In a 2 quart pump spray bottle:
1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide (1%)
1/3 cup isopropyl alcohol (70%)
1/3 cup tea tree soap
1/3 cup peppermint soap
And fill the rest of the way with water.
There is a specific brand that I got, im not home to look it up, but liquidirt youtube channel has the same products. He just uses a different ratio of the ingredients.
I bought 32 oz bottles which means I can make 24 bottles of solution.
Use it to clean the leaves off. After a repot, and for pest treatment. And haven’t seen spider mites back on my alocasia mickey mouse.
Nah. Throw this hoe away. This plant will continually get spider mites. It practically immaculately creates them.
If you want a plant which is constantly a source of stress and also a beacon for pests, keep her. But you’ll feel so much better if you toss her and focus on plants less pest prone.
My recommendation: spray thoroughly with 2-3 teaspoons of Dawn dishwashing soap per quart of water, three times, three days apart. Don’t miss an inch. Earthworm castings extract will help the plant to resist spider mites, and other pests, too.
Toss it!
Why am I wanting a powdered donut for breakfast tomorrow?
I just put mine outside, they get rained on a few times, no more mites, plus they get huge. I can share a pic of this exact plant undergoing that process if you’d like
I swear to god these particular xanthos like give birth to spider mites. I’m never buying them for my shop again. They are really cool looking plants but honestly some of the only ones I’ve ever had that will be fine for a few weeks and then overnight all of them are infested. Same thing.. will treat them, they’ll kick out a new leaf, grow a little and then BAM 💥
EVERYWHERE.
fuck these plants.