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Pests
Root Mealybugs on Lavender
Commonly affects: Lavandula angustifolia / L. x intermedia (Lavender)
The plant declines gradually with no obvious above-ground pest signs, and small white cottony masses are visible on the roots when the plant is checked.
Potential Causes
- 1Root mealybugs feeding on root tissue below the soil surface, often going unnoticed until decline is significant
- 2Introduction via contaminated soil or an already-infested plant
- 3More common in container-grown lavender than in garden plantings
Solution Steps
- 1Remove the plant from its pot and rinse roots thoroughly to physically remove visible mealybugs
- 2Discard the old potting soil entirely rather than reusing it
- 3Repot into fresh, well-draining mix
- 4Consider a systemic insecticide drench for persistent, hard-to-eliminate infestations
Prevention Tip
Unexplained decline in an otherwise well-sited lavender warrants checking the roots directly, since root mealybugs hide below the soil surface.
