African corn lilies, scientifically known as Ixia, are beautiful flowering plants that add a pop of vibrant color to gardens. However, these stunning blooms are prone to infestations from pesky aphids. Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that can quickly overwhelm and damage plants. An aphid infestation can stunt the growth of your African corn lilies, cause leaves to yellow and wilt, and distort the flowers. To protect the health and beauty of your African corn lilies, it is essential to control aphid populations. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore proven methods for getting rid of aphids on African corn lily flowers.
Identifying Aphids on African Corn Lilies
The first step is learning how to identify aphids on your plants. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that come in a variety of colors including green, yellow, black, brown, or pink. They tend to cluster on the underside of leaves and along stems.
Signs that your African corn lilies have an aphid problem include:
- Tiny insects clustered on leaves or stems
- A sticky residue called honeydew on plant surfaces
- Leaves that are curled, yellowed, or distorted
- Flower buds that fail to open
- Stunted plant growth
Inspect plants regularly to catch infestations early when they are easier to treat Check along stems and the underside of leaves where aphids like to hide and feed
Eco-Friendly Ways to Control Aphids
If you spot aphids on your African corn lilies, take quick action to get the infestation under control. Start with gentler, non-toxic methods before turning to chemical insecticides which can harm beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs.
Use a Strong Spray of Water
Power washing aphids off plants with a strong stream of water is remarkably effective. Use a garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle. Blast the undersides of leaves and along stems to dislodge aphids. Repeat every 2-3 days for 2 weeks to control the infestation.
Apply Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal soaps made from plant oils or potassium salts of fatty acids can help manage aphid populations. Apply these solutions to coat leaves and stems fully The soap disrupts the waxy coating on aphids causing them to dehydrate and die Reapply every 5-7 days as needed.
Release Ladybugs and Lacewings
Natural predators like ladybugs and lacewings can help keep aphid numbers in check. You can purchase these beneficial insects from garden stores and release them near infested plants. The adult ladybugs and lacewings will feed on aphids while larvae will munch through colonies.
Use Neem Oil
Extracted from the neem tree, this organic oil is an effective insecticide for aphids. Neem oil coats plants with a compound that repels the pests and disrupts their hormonal balance so they can’t reproduce. Dilute neem oil per package instructions and spray leaves, stems, and buds.
Apply Diatomaceous Earth
This powdery white substance is made from fossilized algae and has microscopic jagged edges that cut and kill small soft-bodied insects like aphids. Lightly dust diatomaceous earth on and under leaves taking care to avoid blooms Reapply after rain or watering.
Use Row Covers
Floating row covers act as a physical barrier preventing aphids from reaching plants. Drape the fabric over plants and secure the edges with stones, boards, or garden staples. Remove covers periodically to check for any aphids that got under.
Plant Companion Plants
Some herb and flower companion plants naturally deter aphids through their strong scent. Try planting chives, mint, fennel, dill, or marigolds around your African corn lilies. The strong aromas mask the scent of the corn lilies and drive away aphids.
When to Use Chemical Insecticides
If non-toxic methods do not knock back the aphid infestation, you may need to turn to chemical control options. Systemic insecticides that get absorbed by plants and kill insects that feed on them are a targeted way to manage heavy aphid populations without harming beneficial bugs. Always carefully follow label directions when using any insecticide. Rotate between insecticide classes to prevent aphids from developing resistance.
Preventative Care
Once you have eliminated existing aphids, be vigilant about monitoring your African corn lilies to prevent future infestations. Check plants frequently and recognize the early signs. Maintain healthy soil and do not overfertilize as succulent new growth attracts aphids. Prune away any stems or leaves heavily infested with aphids. Destroy the clippings immediately.
You can make a homemade spray with dish soap and water to help prevent aphids from establishing themselves on plants. Add 1-2 drops of mild dish soap per cup of water and spray plants, especially new growth. Reapply the soapy spray solution every 2-3 days as a safeguard. Keep African corn lilies well watered during dry periods when they are most vulnerable to pests.
Aphids can quickly get out of control anddamage African corn lily flowers and foliage. Stay vigilant and inspect plants regularly. At the first sign of an infestation, take prompt action using eco-friendly methods like blasts of water, insecticidal soaps, natural predators, and companion planting. When needed, use systemic insecticides judiciously to knock back heavy aphid populations. With proactive prevention and early control, you can keep your stunning African corn lilies thriving and aphid-free!
How to protect your plants from aphids
Check plants for aphids regularly throughout the growing season. Because aphid populations can explode, it is important to monitor plants as often as possible. Carefully check leaves and stems for the presence of aphids.
Remove weeds from your garden to reduce potential sites for aphid attack. Weeds such as sowthistle and mustard can support large numbers of aphids.
You can physically knock aphids off plants with a strong spray of water from a garden hose. This will also help wash off any honeydew or sooty mold that may be present.
Aphids are not strong insects and even a good rainstorm can knock them off. You may notice more aphids in seasons with lighter rain.
There are many natural enemies of aphids that are commonly found in gardens, including lady beetles, lacewings, syrphid fly larvae and parasitic wasps. Because aphids can multiply very fast, it will likely take some time for the predator insects to catch up and reduce aphid numbers.
Protect natural enemies by avoiding pesticide applications or using low risk products. Encourage natural enemies by planting flowering plants that blossom at different times of the growing season. Lady beetle larva Lady beetle Aphid mummy parasitized by braconid wasp Green lacewing larva Green lacewing adult Syrphid fly larva
In most cases, aphids cause little to no damage to plants and can be ignored. If aphids are causing problems, and it is necessary to treat them, you may want to consider using insecticides.
Several insecticides are low risk to people, beneficial insecticides and the environment.
Neem (azadirachtin) is a plant based pesticide that discourages aphid feeding. Insects are not killed quickly, but it makes them stop feeding and they slowly die.
Insecticidal soap, horticultural oil and pyrethrins can be effective at controlling aphids.
- Remember to spray the underside of leaves as well as the top.
- These materials will only kill aphids that they come in contact with. Repeat applications may be needed.
These products are effective for one week or more. While they are longer lasting, they also kill a variety of insects, including natural enemies. This can make aphid problems worse. Do not spray trees or shrubs that are blooming.
Common examples of pesticides available to consumers include acephate, permethrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin and malathion.
Systemic products, like imidacloprid and dinotefuran, are applied to the base of trees and transported through the sap to the leaves, stems and branches where the aphids are feeding. When the aphids consume the pesticide they will die.
This process can take between two to four weeks depending on the product used and the size of the tree. Most of these products will also kill other insects feeding on foliage in trees. The use of systemic insecticides avoid pesticide drift, especially when treating large trees.
Systemic pesticides dont directly contact natural enemies. However, imidacloprid and dinotefuran are very toxic to pollinators. Either avoid applying these insecticides to bee attractive plants or wait until the plants have finished blooming before treating them.
You can also hire a professional landscape company to treat aphids on trees and shrubs. They have the training and experience to successfully manage an aphid problem. See How to hire a tree care professional.
Damage caused by aphids
Aphids use slender needle-like mouthparts to feed on sap from plants. They gather where they can feed on new succulent growth on unopened flower buds, the underside of young leaves and developing stems, twigs, bark and roots.
In many cases, there are no visible symptoms of aphid feeding. Symptoms of severe aphid feeding are:
- Twisted and curled leaves
- Yellowed foliage
- Stunted or dead shoots
- Poor plant growth
Aphid honeydew on oak leaves
When aphids feed, they inject saliva into their host plant to help digest the sap. After feeding, they secrete a sticky, shiny waste product called honeydew.
- Honeydew is a sugar-rich material that attracts ants, yellowjackets (especially during late summer and fall) and other insects that feed on it.
- It can coat bark, leaves and objects beneath the plant, including car windshields and lawn furniture, leaving a sticky mess.
Honeydew generally does not cause any harm, but can cause leaves to stick together and can encourage the growth of sooty mold.
- Sooty mold is a fungus that grows on honeydew and is often found on trees with aphids.
- The fungus is not harmful to the tree, but can cause dark, fuzzy splotches on leaves and branches.
Removing honeydew from plants is not necessary as it does not harm plants.
If honeydew is a major problem, treatment should be applied after the leaves have started forming (or when honeydew is noticed) to kill the aphids and reduce honeydew problems.
Dish detergents and tar removers can be used to remove honeydew from structures and vehicles.
- You will need to scrub with a washcloth or sponge.
- Tar removers and heavy duty dishwashing detergents may damage painted surfaces and remove the clear coating from cars.
- Test it on a small portion of the surface to make sure it does not cause more damage.
Aphids can carry several different plant viruses, including cucumber mosaic virus. This virus can infect many vegetables including squash, cucumber, pumpkin, melon, beans, spinach, tomato, lettuce and beets as well as annuals and perennials such as impatiens, gladiolus, petunia, phlox and rudbeckia.
- Viruses can cause leaves to mottle, yellow or curl.
- Plant growth may be stunted.
- In some cases fruit can be misshapen.
Leaf mottling from a virus Virus symptoms on zucchini
Foolproof Aphid Control and Prevention
FAQ
How to get aphids off African violets?
How to get rid of aphids on lily?
How to get rid of aphids during flowering?
How do I get rid of aphids on my corn plant?
How to get rid of aphids permanently?
The push and pull strategy is one of the most effective and natural ways to get rid of aphids permanently. It is the same method used in the control of corn stalk borers, where Napier grass is planted in companion with corn to attract and trap the stalk borer.
How do you get rid of aphids on plants?
Apply water with high pressure (hosing) One of the most popular bug control tactics is hosing. To do this, wash aphids off with a jet of high-pressured water using a watering hose and a regulated nozzle. Make sure to support the weaker plant stems and branches to avoid breaking off.
Do dahlia plants repel aphids?
Plants in the Allium family are very effective in repelling and pushing away aphids. On the other hand, plant crops in the brassica family, such as kale and collards, to attract and pull the aphids. If anything, aphids don’t cause much harm to these crops. Alternatively, you can plant dahlia plant next to a susceptible crop.
Do aphids kill plants?
While a few bugs won’t kill a plant, a larger aphid infestation can cause foliage to warp and curl, and open the door to aphid-transmitted viruses. In severe cases the plant fails to thrive. As they feed, aphids secrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which quickly becomes infested with black sooty mold.