PESTS AND DISEASES OF CLIVIA:
1 .Aphids
These are tiny little green, sometimes black insects, usually seen in small colonies sucking the sap of new growths and flower buds. They are normally tended to by ants. Although they cause minimal damage themselves, they do spread viruses. To eliminate them, use Chlorpyrifos, spraying the whole plant. If you are the organic type, you can collect some Lady Bugs in the garden and place them on the infected plant, the Lady bugs will devour many aphids daily.
2. Mealy Bugs
They are small white/light grey woolly looking insects, normally found on new growths, also spreading virus. Getting rid of them, use Chlorpyrifos, Malasol, Confidor or Dursban, spraying they whole plant. Another method is to mix Alcohol and water, and then spraying the whole plant, these little insects also hide beneath the potting mix, so it is important to drench the mix or even dunk the whole plant, pot and all in the alcohol/water mix and then let it drain and dry normally. These are flightless insects that hide down in the heart of the plant, between the leaves and down toward their bases. Mealy bugs can be almost impossible to eradicate, once an infestation is present. Superficial spraying of the infected plant with insecticide solutions may often prove ineffective. Granular systemic insecticides, added to the soil around the base of the infected plant and watered in lightly, seem to offer the best approach to destroying mealy bugs.
3. Lily Borer
In their native land of South Africa, Clivia are attacked by the caterpillar of the Amaryllis Borer Moth, Brithys pancratii. which can utterly destroy a plant. In other parts of the world, various general feeding moth larvae can do moderate damage to the foliage or scapes of clivias. In cold winter regions the eggs are laid in early September, and in warmer and coastal regions they are laid all year round. The amaryllis catterpillars are black and yellow , which feeds on leaves and tunnels into the leaves, berries, stalks and bulbs of various lilies and amaryllids. We have had great success using Garden Ripcord, spraying all the plants as an immediate solution. I have also experimented with pots of other bulbouos plants amongst my Clivias like Amaryllis and Crinums and it does seem to deter them. Using a systemic drench once every six months seem to be the best long term solution for these pests.
4 .Red Spider Mite
Tiny reddish-brown spiders which weave a web on the underside of leaves. Cause yellowing and bronzing of the leaves. They can be controlled by spraying spidermitespray or Red spidercide
5 .Slugs and Snails
Every gardener knows what these look like, they feed on new growths, use Snailbait to get rid of them. Placing a flat dish filled with beer, will draw them out at night and they will drown. I have also heard that taking a cabbage leaf and spreading lard onto it will draw them out at night, only thing is that you will have to go out at night and collect them.
6. Fungal and bacterial diseases
Various pathogenic organisms externally present on the seed, plants or in the soil. They are the causes of diseases like seed rot, root rot, damping-off, rust, leaf spots and bacterial rot.
Copper oxychloride (Virikop) apply as a drench to soils – 1.5l/m² (for bacteria and fungus) Furalaxyl (Fongarid) apply as a drench to seedlings and cuttings in pots or beds. (for fungus) Zineb (Zineb) apply as directed. Controls various leaf spots. (for fungus)
7. Virus
Viruses are microscopic organisms consisting out of pieces of nucleoprotein, which have to multiply in living tissue. Virus particles can be transmitted by seed, infected gardening equipment, soil and various insects.
Plant viruses can reach a Clivia plant through an insect or from the hands or unsterile tools of a gardener. A virus infection generally appears as a mottled, spotted, or checkered pattern of light green contrasting to the normal dark green of a healthy clivia leaf.
No treatment available Suspected plants/propagating material should be destroyed.
8. Nematodes:
These are not insects but very small, primitive worms about 1 mm long (1/25th inch), transparent and colorless. There are many types of nematodes, some of them beneficial in that they prey on other pests. They are widespread in nature, both good and bad types. Root nematodes can infect clivias, and are almost impossible to get rid of. Heat treatments are used commercially, but the temperaure and the duration of heating must be very closely controlled. A little too little heat and you do not kill the nematodes; a little too much heat and you kill the plant.
It has been suggested that application of granular systemic insecticides early in the growing season can control nematodes. Pesticides specific for nematodes are generally hard to find and can be dangerous to use.
Always check with your local nursery or agricultural authorities about what pesticides are appropriate and legal to use in your situation.
9. Scale insects:
These are often carried to clivias by ants, which farm the scales for their honeydew exudations. Scale are much easier to control, and spraying with suitable insecticides usually works. The granular systemic materials used to kill mealy bugs are also usually quite effective against scale insects.
10. Snout Beetle:
Identification: These nocturnal pests damage leaves and bracts.
Treatment: Use a systemic insecticide to manage snout beetle infestations. Consider trapping methods for nocturnal pests.
