What to do now
Take the plant out of the group and rinse it with lukewarm water, tilting the pot. On soft growth and open flowers, wipe them off with a damp cloth and cut out shoot tips that are covered.
Getting rid of aphids
Quick answer
Move the plant away from the others and rinse it off. The follow-up checks tell you whether they are gone.
Aphids sit packed together on soft shoot tips, on young leaves and on flower buds. They are about the size of a pinhead and come in green, black, reddish or yellowish, depending on the species.
The second clue is sticky. Aphids give off honeydew, which leaves a shiny film on the leaves below them, on the windowsill and on the floor. When you find that film, turn over the leaves above it and look at the undersides.
The approach is the same on any houseplant. Take the insects off by hand first, then check, then treat again as often as it takes until a check turns up nothing.
Move the plant out and rinse it off
Carry the affected plant away from the group as soon as you see the aphids. They walk from leaf to leaf where plants touch, and winged ones cross short open stretches of a room.
Then rinse the plant with lukewarm water. Tilt the pot so the water does not collect in the soil, and aim the spray upward at the leaf undersides. That is where most of the colony sits.
On soft new growth, thin leaves and open flowers the spray is too rough. Wipe the insects off with a damp cloth or a soft brush instead, rinsing the cloth as you go.
Cut out single shoot tips that are covered end to end. That removes more insects in one motion than any treatment afterward.
Look at
- 01Soft shoot tips, new leaves, flower buds
- 02Pinhead size, green, black, red or yellow
- 03Sticky shine on leaves, sill and floor
- 04The leaf undersides above the sticky film
What home remedies can do
Rinse aphids off with lukewarm water or wipe them away with a damp cloth. If washing is not enough, choose an insecticidal soap whose label covers the plant, aphids and indoor use, and follow its dilution, application method and repeat intervals. Do not add rubbing alcohol or household soap.
Contact sprays need to reach the insects on leaf undersides, shoot tips and leaf axils. Follow the label for coverage and any rinsing instructions rather than using a fixed homemade recipe.
Household soap and dish detergent can burn leaves and do not replace a formulated insecticidal product. Test the labeled product on a small area first and check it after one or two days before treating the whole plant.
Never treat in full sun and never on a dry root ball. Water first, spray in the evening and keep the plant out of direct light for the rest of the day.
Garlic tea, nettle tea and coffee grounds turn up on a lot of lists. Indoors the first two smell strong, their effect on an established colony is weak, and coffee grounds never reach the insects on the shoots at all.
Ready-made sprays and beneficial insects
Garden centers sell sprays for houseplants based on potassium soap, canola oil or neem oil. They also work on contact and need the same complete coverage. Follow the dose on the label and the note about whether the product is meant for indoor use.
Oil-based products leave a film on the leaf. On hairy leaves, on succulents with a powdery bloom and on young growth that can cause damage, so test one leaf here too.
Beneficial insects such as lacewing larvae and parasitic wasps can be ordered for indoor use. They need several weeks and a plant that is not sprayed again in that time. In a single pot at a window they wander off easily, and in a densely planted sunroom they work more reliably.
The follow-up check tells you if it worked
Aphids breed fast, and the newly hatched ones are hard to see at first. One treatment rarely catches the whole population.
Look at the same places every two or three days: shoot tips, young leaves, leaf undersides, flower stalks and leaf axils. Remove any aphids you find with water or a damp cloth. Repeat a pesticide only at the interval its label allows.
Only after two checks in a row turn up nothing does the plant go back with the others. Go through the neighboring plants over the following weeks as well.
Wipe the sticky honeydew off the leaves with a damp cloth. Black sooty mold settles on a film that sits for a while, and it shades the leaf and comes off badly.
What to do now
Check the same spots every two or three days and remove any aphids you find. Follow the product label for repeat sprays. The plant rejoins the others after two clear checks in a row.
Where the aphids came from
The usual route is a new plant. Keep every new arrival on its own for two or three weeks and look it over regularly before it takes its place.
In summer winged aphids come in through open windows and on plants that spent the season outdoors. Go over patio plants closely before you bring them back in for fall.
Cut flowers and a fresh bunch of potted herbs bring aphids in too. Keep both away from your houseplants.
Very soft, dark green growth comes from generous nitrogen and is especially attractive to aphids. So keep liquid fertilizer at the strength on the package and no stronger.
What to do now
Keep every new plant on its own for two or three weeks and look it over. Check patio plants before bringing them in, keep bouquets separate, and dose liquid fertilizer no stronger than the label says.
When leaves stay damaged
Leaves that were distorted, curled or spotted by feeding do not grow smooth again. They stay that way until they drop on their own. Cut them off only if the plant keeps enough healthy foliage.
New growth tells you whether the plant is clear. If it comes in smooth and even, the treatment worked. If it comes in stunted again, insects are still sitting somewhere, and you go back over the shoot tips and leaf axils.
Whether a plant is a problem around pets or children is covered in its own care guide. If you suspect poisoning, a vet or a doctor is the right call.
What to do now
Remove damaged leaves only while enough healthy foliage remains. If new growth is stunted, search the shoot tips and leaf axils again.
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Keep reading
Common questions
How do I get rid of aphids on plants fast?
Set the plant on its own, cut out the shoot tips that are covered and rinse the rest from below. That takes off most of the colony in one pass. The rest come off through the follow-up checks over the next two weeks.
What home remedy gets rid of aphids on houseplants?
Rinse aphids off with lukewarm water or wipe them away with a damp cloth. If that is not enough, use insecticidal soap whose label covers the plant, aphids and indoor use, and follow its instructions. Do not mix in alcohol or household detergent.
How often do I need to treat for aphids?
Check every two or three days and remove any aphids with water or a damp cloth. Repeat insecticidal soap or another pesticide only as its label directs. Inspection frequency does not set the spraying interval.
Are aphids harmful to houseplants?
A strong plant shrugs off a small infestation. Left alone, new shoots stay small, leaves curl and buds stop opening. The sticky honeydew also brings sooty mold onto the leaves.
Where do aphids on indoor plants come from in winter?
Usually from the store. New plants, cut flowers and potted herbs carry a few in, and they breed undisturbed in a warm, dry room. Two or three weeks of quarantine for every new plant catches that.
Do I need to change the soil if my plant has aphids?
No. Aphids live on shoots and leaves, not in the potting mix. Repotting does nothing against them and costs a weakened plant energy it needs.
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