Is this an infestation?

12 years ago

Hi all,

I ordered three new cape primrose (streptocarpus) from a reputable online houseplant seller. This was my first time ordering from them and my first time with cape primrose. I thought it would be ok to post this in the African Violet section because these plants are related and those here might be very knowledgeable as to what different types of damage look like on these kinds of plants.

All the plants have spots on the leaves. One is worse than the others. I will post photos but will have to post them as separate posts. The first photo is of the worst plant.

I am concerned that these spots are mite damage. I have inspected all the plants with a 15x loupe but could see no bugs. Twice I thought I saw two dead bugs but was unsure. One looked like a clearish beige color and had a roundish shape. I thought that one might be a spider. The other was white and looked longer and more slender. I thought that one might be a mite. Neither of these things moved. I poked them and they didn't move. I moved them around and still no movement. And these were the only two suspicious looking things I detected.

In the image of the first plant; plant with most spots/damage on leaves you can also see that the leaf on the left looks normal while the leaf on the right looks sort of deformed.

Input greatly appreciated!!!

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Comments (14)

e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
Second photo of first plant
e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
Close up of damage on the leaf of first plant.
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e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
Another close up of damaged leaf.
Karin
12 years ago
Someone more knowledgeable will be able to correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like bruising/rough handling to me. Not that there might not be a pest after all, but I have yet to see one that progresses in a straight line diagonally across a leaf....

Karin
perle_de_or
12 years ago
You could probably get some good input over on the Gesneriad forum. I have several streps and love them. I am not an expert, but the center newer leaves look good to me. It may be the older leaves are showing previous damage of some sort. The plants don't look sick to me either. I would wait and see how the newer leaves do. You can cut the damaged parts off of the other leaves, it will look awkward for a while until the newer leaves grow out. The deformed leaf in the first picture looks like an old leaf. When you get some more growth on the small ones, I would cut that leaf off.
irina_co
12 years ago
E-W-

Mechanical damage. Do not worry - they will grow out of it - next leaves will come up right.
Would you be sent through the mail - you will emerge out of the box several days later with some bruises too. Sometimes boxes look like somebody played soccer with them.

Good Luck - and lots of bloom on your new streps in a New Year!
e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everyone for you're responses! I am greatly received, especially since I had these plants sitting next to my new and expensive orchid overnight.

Ironically, when I took the orchid out of its pot this morning to check the roots it had two very fat looking millipedes in it, so I was worried about the wrong plants.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was a separate gesneriad forum. Thanks again everyone!
PRO
Whitelacey
12 years ago
Ew,

There is a separate gesneriad forum but if you need help-come here. Irina is a gessie expert!

Linda
PRO
Whitelacey
12 years ago
Ew,

There is a separate gesneriad forum but if you need help-come here. Irina is a gessie expert!

Linda
irina_co
12 years ago
The day I will recognize myself as an expert - I would wrap it up - and start collecting shoehorns. The fun is - you learn something new every day - and every day something baffles you. The challenge makes it interesting.

But we all get through the stage when we believed the plants were infested by everything. We are like the hero of Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat" who after going through a "home-doctor" book decided that he was suffering from all the diseases named therein except housemaid's knee.

i.
fortyseven_gw
12 years ago
Ã¢ÂÂ¦ because he wasn't a housemaid Ã¢ÂÂ¦ however, if it was butler's knee, he would have had that, too.
joanne
e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
Irina,

I like your attitude!
So true about beginners! I'm terrified of bugs.
irina_co
12 years ago
You shouldn't be terrified of bugs. It is all doable - but it is an extra work you do not need.

I.
e-w-031
Original Author
12 years ago
I just took a mealy bug off of one of my tillandsia plants. Ugh!!!
First time I've ever encountered these gross things. I only saw one but there are many deep nooks to hide in the tillandsia. I'm praying there was just the one and it was a fluke! I'll have to inspect all the other plants that it was close to. I hate bugs!