Barberton daisy 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 Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), using what its sources say about pests and diseases and humidity and 3 problems recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Gerbera jamesonii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Gerbera belonging to the basal Mutisieae tribe within the large Asteraceae family. It is indigenous to South Eastern Africa and commonly known as the Barberton daisy, the Transvaal daisy, and as Barbertonse madeliefie or Rooigousblom in Afrikaans. Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Native range: Northern Prov. to Eswatini (subtropical). Also sold as African Daisy, Gerber Daisy, Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy and Veldt Daisy.
What Barberton daisy’s sources say that bears on this
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by tarsonemid mites, aphids, chrysanthemum leaf miner and greenhouse whitefly. Diseases: root rot, leaf spot and grey moulds.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on a Barberton daisy
Curled, sticky new leaves with green or black insects: aphids
The youngest growth of the Barberton daisy is sticky and distorted, and a closer look finds colonies of small, pear-shaped insects.
RHS lists aphids among the pests it may attract. They favor tender tips and buds, so the damage concentrates where the plant is growing.
Telling it apart: What the white bits are. Aphids leave papery cast skins; mealybugs leave wax with an insect inside.
RHS · read 13 September 2026New leaves small, curled and brittle: broad or cyclamen mites
New growth on the Barberton daisy is stunted and puckered, sometimes with a bronze tint, while the older leaves stay flat.
RHS lists tarsonemid mites (broad and cyclamen mites) among the pests it may attract. These mites feed in the folded young tissue, and the damage shows as the leaves open.
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 2026Small white flying insects under the leaves
White, moth-like insects settle under the leaves of the Barberton daisy and rise when disturbed.
RHS lists whitefly among the pests it may attract. Adults and young feed on sap from the undersides and shed honeydew, and warm indoor conditions keep them breeding.
Telling it apart: Stickiness with flying insects. Whitefly has both; fungus gnats fly but leave no honeydew.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Possible causes, likeliest first for a Barberton daisy
Most likely aphids
Ranked higher because Barberton daisy's recorded problems point this way.
- Curled, sticky new leaves with green or black insects: aphids RHS
Why: Aphids cluster on soft new growth and flower buds, where the sap is easiest to reach.
What to try:
- Rub them off with fingers, or rinse them off in a sink or shower.
- Repeat every few days while new ones appear.
What would settle it: Look for the pale shed skins among the insects. Aphids molt as they grow, and the skins are left behind in the colony.
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 barberton daisy 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 mealybugs
Why: Mealybugs are soft insects that cover themselves in white wax, which gives the cottony look.
What to try:
- Move the barberton daisy 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.
Less likely for a Barberton daisy, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes pests on a Barberton daisy?
- For Barberton daisy: aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.
- How can I tell which one it is on my Barberton daisy?
- 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 Barberton daisy's sources say about its pests and diseases?
- RHS: Can be troubled by tarsonemid mites, aphids, chrysanthemum leaf miner and greenhouse whitefly. Diseases: root rot, leaf spot and grey moulds.
- What does this look like on a Barberton daisy?
- The youngest growth of the Barberton daisy is sticky and distorted, and a closer look finds colonies of small, pear-shaped insects. Telling it apart: What the white bits are. Aphids leave papery cast skins; mealybugs leave wax with an insect inside.
Other plants that show pests
African violetIrregular notches bitten from leaf edges by an insect pest
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
Blue passion flowerPale stippled leaves and tiny moving dots underneath: a mite pest
Bush lilySmall white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints
Something else wrong with the Barberton daisy?
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.