African violet pests, webbing or sticky leaves: causes and what to do
6 results in the diagnosis tree begin with pests, 5 of them marked likely when the answers fit. They are ordered here for African violet (Streptocarpus ionanthus), using what its sources say about pests and diseases, humidity and watering and 5 problems recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Streptocarpus ionanthus is a species of Streptocarpus in the section Saintpaulia, commonly known as an African violet. It is native to eastern and southwestern Tanzania. Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Native range: E. & SW. Tanzania (seasonally dry tropical). Also sold as Kenya Violet and Usambara violet.
What African violet’s sources say that bears on this
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by mealybugs.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Can be troubled by tarsonemid mite, vine weevil, thrips, mealybugs and greenhouse leafhoppers. Diseases: powdery mildews or grey moulds (botrytis).RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Watering
- Water drains quickly through this mix. Water left sitting on the surface can make the plant decay.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026In winter, water sparingly as the potting mix dries; in the growing season, water generously and let the potting mix dry between waterings. Feed every two weeks with a high-potassium fertiliser.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on an African violet
Irregular notches bitten from leaf edges by an insect pest
The plant rocks loose in its pot and droops, and the root ball holds curled white grubs among chewed roots.
RHS lists vine weevil among the pests it may attract. The adults notch the leaves, and their grubs feed on roots in containers through autumn and winter.
Telling it apart: The shape of the damage. Weevils bite notches from the edge; caterpillars eat holes anywhere.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Silver-flecked leaves and marked or distorted flowers: an insect pest
Silvery flecks and streaks spread over the leaves of the African violet, peppered with tiny black dots. Flowers may open marked or misshapen.
RHS lists thrips among the pests it may attract. They feed on leaves and in flowers, and hide in buds, which makes them hard to spot.
Telling it apart: The black specks. Silvering with black dots is thrips; pale dots without them point at mites.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Small insects that jump when the leaves are disturbed
Pale mottling spreads across the leaves of the African violet, heaviest near the veins.
RHS lists leafhoppers among the pests it may attract. Each shed skin stays behind, white and papery, which is often the clearest sign.
Telling it apart: Cast skins. White skins under the leaves point at leafhoppers.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Sticky leaves and white fluff where they meet the stem: mealybugs
Look into the tightest angles of the plant: white woolly patches there are mealybug colonies, often with a sticky sheen on the leaves below them.
RHS lists mealybugs among the pests it may attract. They feed on sap and shed the excess as sticky honeydew, and a colony tucked into the joints spreads before it is noticed.
Telling it apart: Whether the white comes with stickiness. Mealybugs leave honeydew; dust and mildew do not.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Twisted, stunted new growth and buds that fail: a mite pest
The growing point of the African violet is crowded with twisted, thickened leaves that fail to expand. The mites themselves are too small to see.
RHS lists tarsonemid mites (broad and cyclamen mites) among the pests it may attract. Feeding on unopened growth deforms it permanently, so the damage is locked in before it is seen.
Telling it apart: The texture of new leaves. Brittle, thickened growth points at mites; soft, curled growth with insects on it points at aphids.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Possible causes, likeliest first for an African violet
Most likely mealybugs
Ranked higher because African violet's recorded problems point this way.
- Sticky leaves and white fluff where they meet the stem: mealybugs RHS
Why: Mealybugs are soft insects that cover themselves in white wax, which gives the cottony look.
What to try:
- Move the african violet away from other plants.
- Wipe off every insect you can see with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, testing a single leaf first.
What would settle it: Touch a tuft with a cotton swab. If a small, pale, oval insect is underneath, it is a mealybug.
Most likely spider mites
Why: Spider mites feed on individual leaf cells, and each emptied cell shows as a pale speck.
What to try:
- Move the african violet away from other plants.
- Wash the leaves, top and underside, with a strong spray of water in a shower or sink.
What would settle it: Hold a sheet of white paper under a leaf and tap the leaf. Tiny specks that move across the paper are mites.
Most likely scale insects
Why: Scale insects settle in one place under a hard or waxy shell and feed on sap.
What to try:
- Move the african violet away from other plants.
- Scrape the scales off with a fingernail or a soft brush, then wipe the stems and leaves.
What would settle it: Push a bump gently with a fingernail. Scale comes away and leaves a mark; a bump that is part of the african violet does not move.
Less likely for an African violet, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes pests on an African violet?
- For African violet: mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects.
- How can I tell which one it is on my African violet?
- What can you see? Fine webbing, and tiny pale speckles on the leaves; White, cottony tufts in the leaf joints; Small brown or pale bumps on stems and leaves that do not move; Clusters of small, soft insects on the new growth; Tiny dark flies around the soil; Sticky, shiny residue, but no insect I can see.
- What do African violet's sources say about its pests and diseases?
- NC State Extension: Can be troubled by mealybugs. RHS: Can be troubled by tarsonemid mite, vine weevil, thrips, mealybugs and greenhouse leafhoppers. Diseases: powdery mildews or grey moulds (botrytis).
- What does this look like on an African violet?
- The plant rocks loose in its pot and droops, and the root ball holds curled white grubs among chewed roots. Telling it apart: The shape of the damage. Weevils bite notches from the edge; caterpillars eat holes anywhere.
Other plants that show pests
Goldfish plantClusters of small soft insects on the shoot tips and buds: aphids
Lipstick plantClusters of small soft insects on the shoot tips and buds: aphids
Barberton daisyCurled, sticky new leaves with green or black insects: aphids
Bearded irisRagged holes and slime trails: a slug or snail pest
Bigleaf hydrangeaClusters of small soft insects on the shoot tips and buds: aphids
Bird of paradiseDull, finely mottled leaves and faint webs: spider mites
Something else wrong with the African violet?
What this does not cover
This page orders a decision tree's results using a plant's sourced care. It has not seen your plant, its pot or its window, and two problems at once are common: that is the usual reason a confident answer turns out wrong. The questions in the diagnosis tool narrow it further than a list can.