Reply To: Coleus Plant Problems

[E. Vinje]

Hello –

Coleus are brightly colored, partial-shade loving plants that come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. This member of the mint family grows well in borders and containers, but will occasionally come under attack from a number of pests and disease. Common coleus problems include:

Pests
• Mealybugs
• Aphids
• Slugs
• Spider Mites
• Whitefly

Disease
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Root Rot

From your description, I think that the moths that you are seeing are actually whiteflies, but they are a sucking insect and don’t typically eat plants. Look for slugs too! I’ve included a couple links below that I hope help.

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/slug-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/whitefly-control/

Good luck!