Poinsettia Pests and Control Methods

Poinsettia Whitefly

Whiteflies like to live in shaded environments with dense branches and leaves. They live in groups on the back of leaves and suck sap with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, causing the leaves to fade or develop spots, affecting the photosynthesis of the plants and leading to poor plant growth. The secretions of insect eggs may also cause sooty mold disease.

The peak period of whitefly infestation is from late September to late November. The best time for prevention and control is late September, when pesticides can be used between 6 and 10 in the morning. In addition, when there are fewer insects, you can directly remove the leaves and then spray them with fungicides.

Poinsettia spider mite

Leaf mites are what we often call red spider mites, which are common pests of home potted plants. The peak season is from March to June and from September to November. Mites or nymphs like to live on the back of old leaves, and the affected leaves have yellow spots. In severe cases, spider mites can cause damage to the plants, causing them to wither and become barren.

During the maintenance process, check the back of the leaves frequently to detect insect eggs early, remove the leaves, and move the plant to a sunny place. When there are many insect pests, you can spray pesticides to prevent and control them.

Poinsettia Thrips

The parts of the plant that are harmed by thrips include buds, leaves, and flowers, especially young leaves and new shoots, which are most severely affected, causing the plants to develop poorly. The white spots on both sides of the main veins of the leaves can be used to identify the harmful characteristics of thrips. Damaged leaves cause white or brown spots, and in severe cases, the leaves become twisted and deformed. The flowers are damaged and deformed.

When pests are discovered, kill them promptly or spray them with pesticides once every 3 to 5 days until they are completely eliminated.