Content
- Diseases of the agave and possible protective measures
- Distinguish the right diseases from care mistakes
- The imminent danger from the palm weevil
- These pests also attack species of agave
- Tips
Agaves rarely become ill but from time to time they are attacked by pests
Diseases of the agave and possible protective measures
As an exotic, the agave naturally relies on certain location and care conditions in order to thrive well in Central Europe. In fact, certain maladies on the agave are in reality often not the cause of diseases and pests, but rather of certain care mistakes.
Distinguish the right diseases from care mistakes
Agaves in this country have an enemy, which makes itself felt neither by feeding damage, nor by certain discoloration: waterlogging. Since agaves are usually cultured in the pot anyway, a special substrate can be used as the first preventive measure. In addition, agaves should be poured even in summery hot temperatures only when the top layer of soil around the plant already feels dry and crumbly.If individual leaves die after an initial yellowing, it is usually an oversupply of water. Sometimes plants that have already been compromised in their plant health can still be saved by rapid repotting.
The imminent danger from the palm weevil
Agaves are sometimes associated with cacti because of their appearance and location needs, but tragically they have something in common with the palms: the threat of a pest against which no effective antidote has yet been found. For about two decades, the so-called palm weevil has not only threatened a large number of palm trees on various coasts. In the strains of Agave americana, the larvae of this dreaded pest were also discovered. However, the density of palm trees and agaves in Central European private gardens is so thin that there has not yet been any threatening spread of this pest.
These pests also attack species of agave
Occasionally, certain species of pests also attack agaves and, in particular, can not severely damage very healthy specimens. Thus, so-called scale insects and lice can partially cause problems and an unpleasant impairment of the appearance of agaves. With regular control colonies of these lice are relatively fast and can therefore be well controlled:
Tips
In the vast majority of cases, pests and truly infectious diseases are not responsible for damaged areas of the agaves, but rather care errors such as permanent wetness leading to decay.