Plant guide:ð Lavender
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Pests
Whiteflies on Lavender
Commonly affects: Lavandula angustifolia / L. x intermedia (Lavender)
Small white, moth-like insects fly up in a cloud when the plant is disturbed, occasionally with sticky honeydew residue on nearby foliage.
Potential Causes
- 1Whiteflies establishing on leaf undersides, though less common on lavender than on many other garden plants given its aromatic, pest-resistant nature
- 2Introduction from a nearby infested plant
- 3Warm, sheltered conditions favouring population growth
Solution Steps
- 1Use yellow sticky traps to catch and monitor adult whiteflies
- 2Apply insecticidal soap to leaf undersides for active infestations
- 3Encourage natural predators in outdoor plantings, since lavender's pest pressure is generally low
- 4Isolate severely affected container plants from other susceptible houseplants nearby
Prevention Tip
Whiteflies are a relatively uncommon problem on lavender given its natural pest resistance â a persistent infestation is worth investigating for an underlying stress factor.
