African Violet – Mites

Q: I have noticed white particles on my African violet leaves. The particles do not seem to be affecting the health of the plant, but I was hoping you could shed some light on what it might be.

A: The white things are the shed skins of cyclamen mites or spider mites that are attacking your plant. The population of pests simply hasn’t built high enough to show visible damage on the leaves. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to control on African violets. The fuzzy leaves don’t lend themselves to insecticidal oil or insecticidal soap. That said, if you want to experiment, try spraying neem oil (click for sources).