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Pests, webbing, and leaf spots on angel wing begonia

Begonia x corallina

Quick answer

Visible pests or suspicious leaf spots on your angel wing begonia should be addressed early. Use the signs below to identify the problem and choose the right treatment.

Angel wing begonia (Begonia x corallina)
Angel wing begonia · Begonia x corallina
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Toxic to pets

A common cause

Spider mites

Illustration of two hands checking the underside of a leaf for pests with a magnifying glass

How to tell

  • Fine webbing in the leaf joints, tiny moving dots, and a stippled, dusty look to the leaves.

The fix

  1. 1
    Wipe the leaves gently with a damp cloth and dry them off, then treat with an insecticidal soap or neem product made for houseplants, repeating as its label directs until they are gone.
  2. 2
    Test the spray on one leaf and wait two days before treating the whole plant, and skip any plant the label warns against.
  3. 3
    Isolate it from other plants.
More about this

They thrive in the dry air many homes have.

Other possible causes

Not a match? Compare the signs below to find the one you have.

Mealybugs

White, cottony fluff tucked into leaf joints and along stems, sometimes with sticky residue.

The fix

  1. 1
    Test isopropyl alcohol of 70% or less on a small part of the plant first and wait 1–2 days to check for leaf damage.
  2. 2
    Then dab each one with a cotton swab dipped in it.
  3. 3
    If you use a neem product made for houseplants, follow its label.

How to get rid of mealybugs →

More about this

Test the spray on one leaf and wait two days before treating the whole plant, and skip any plant the label warns against. Check weekly: they hide.

Scale

Small, brown, limpet-like bumps stuck to stems and the undersides of leaves, often with sticky honeydew.

The fix

  1. 1
    Scrape them off gently with a fingernail or old toothbrush, then treat with a neem or horticultural-oil product made for houseplants, as its label directs, and keep checking.
  2. 2
    Test the spray on one leaf and wait two days before treating the whole plant, and skip any plant the label warns against.

How to get rid of scale →

Fungus gnats

Small black flies run across the soil and fly up when you water.

How to tell

  • Their larvae live in soil that stays damp.

The fix

  1. 1
    Let the top layer of soil dry between waterings and catch adults on yellow sticky traps.
  2. 2
    A drier surface discourages egg laying and reduces egg and larval survival.
  3. 3
    If gnats persist, use a treatment labelled for fungus-gnat larvae on houseplants, following its instructions.

How to get rid of fungus gnats →

Fungal leaf spot

Brown or black spots, often with a yellow halo, usually after the leaves stayed wet or the soil was overwatered.

The fix

  1. 1
    Remove affected leaves, improve airflow, don’t leave water sitting on the leaves, and let the soil dry more between waterings.

Sunburn (not a pest)

Dry, bleached, or brown patches only where strong direct sun hits the leaf, with no bugs or webbing.

How to tell

  • Angel wing begonia wants bright, indirect light.

The fix

  1. 1
    Move it back from the glass, out of the strongest sun.

All angel wing begonia guides

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