Pests and Diseases
Articles about pests and diseases of lilies, including aphids, spider mites, lily leaf beetle, botrytis and more.
Aphids & Lilies
Although I have never (in 20+ years of growing) seen an aphid on a lily growing in the ground here, I certainly have seen them occasionally on potted lilies. I do not consider them much of a threat at our location, but I realize there are many people who do consider them one of the worst pests of lilies.
- Created: 15 December 2006 15 December 2006
- Last Updated: 01 December 2022 01 December 2022
- Hits: 30469 30469
Botrytis - Most common disease of lilies
Probably the most common disease for lily growers, botrytis is a fungal disease which affects the stems, leaves and in extreme cases, the flowers and buds of lilies as well. It is not restricted to affecting lilies, it affects a wide variety of other plants and crops as well, such as canola and annual bedding plants.
- Created: 22 November 2004 22 November 2004
- Last Updated: 30 November 2022 30 November 2022
- Hits: 35117 35117
Botrytis Control On Lilies
Below is a copy of the information found in one of our old catalogs regarding control of Botrytis - it periodically runs rampant throughout gardens around the world, when favourable weather conditions persist. It can return again the next year if cleanup is not done properly.
- Created: 27 January 2009 27 January 2009
- Last Updated: 18 July 2022 18 July 2022
- Hits: 16753 16753
Leaf Scorch on Lilies
Have you ever seen damage similar to the photo on the left in your lilies? Were you worried or wondering what might have caused it? Speckled yellow, wilted foliage at the leaf tips, turning to brown in some cases, but in almost every case the damaged area remained pliable rather than becoming dry and brittle. Another curiosity to me was the fact that the damage was not seen from stem to tip in most cases. Sometimes it was from the tip down only a few cm, other cases it was extensive, covering up to 30 cm of stem. Often it was found in the middle of the stem with no visible damage above or below that point. In most cases, the plant continued to grow and appeared to flower normally.
- Created: 10 September 2007 10 September 2007
- Last Updated: 19 July 2022 19 July 2022
- Hits: 13736 13736
Lily Beetle - ALBERTA
MAY 2, 2007
It is with a heavy heart that I must report that the dreaded Lily Leaf Beetle is alive and confirmed to be in Alberta. Recently, I was contacted by a lady in Airdrie who described in detail the beetle, larvae, and the swift and destructive damage to her lilies, as well as to her neighbors lilies over the past 2-3 years. She related how she handpicked hundreds of beetles last summer and had tried every known organic method of control with no success.
- Created: 02 May 2007 02 May 2007
- Last Updated: 19 July 2022 19 July 2022
- Hits: 16319 16319
Lily Beetle - C. Ernst
Please read the article in this link, written by Crystal Ernst. Crystal is, in my opinion a leading researcher (and Canadian too!) on this pest. She has been the guest speaker at a few seminars to lily society members in North America and provided some useful insight into the habits of the lily leaf beetle.
- Created: 03 March 2009 03 March 2009
- Last Updated: 26 May 2020 26 May 2020
- Hits: 5192 5192
Lily Beetle - Dreaded Pest!
A bug to strike fear in the toughest of lily growers!
We are fortunate enough to grow in an area where the lily beetle has yet to make an appearance, and we are extremely thankful! We have much reason to be so thankful as this dreaded little beast can do an incredible amount of damage to huge populations of lilies in a very short time!
- Created: 10 July 2010 10 July 2010
- Last Updated: 30 May 2022 30 May 2022
- Hits: 3216 3216
Lily Beetle Control
A bug to strike fear in the toughest of lily growers and gardeners!
We are fortunate enough to grow in an area where the lily beetle has yet to make an appearance, and we are extremely thankful. We have much reason to be so thankful as this dreaded little beast can do an incredible amount of damage in a very short time!
- Created: 01 December 2003 01 December 2003
- Last Updated: 05 December 2022 05 December 2022
- Hits: 12419 12419
Lily Beetle Reference
This page features a copy of the front and back of a reference card we included with orders for a number of years. It is a basic outline of what to look for and what to do if this pest is found in your garden. Please feel free to print and keep for reference.
- Created: 09 April 2009 09 April 2009
- Last Updated: 26 May 2020 26 May 2020
- Hits: 7739 7739
Lily Beetle Tracker
- Created: 26 January 2014 26 January 2014
- Last Updated: 26 May 2020 26 May 2020
- Hits: 5263 5263
Spider Mites
Telltale yellow speckling of the leaves is the first noticeable sign of spider mite damage on any plant.
Spider mites look like a dust on the back of rose leaves - notice the white dust built up along the spine of the leaf in the photo below. Close observation will show movement.
- Created: 15 December 2006 15 December 2006
- Last Updated: 20 July 2022 20 July 2022
- Hits: 9501 9501