Pest and disease of lavender

LAVENDER PEST AND DISEASE

Lavender has very few pests and diseases. There is a widely held but unproven theory that lavender prevents diseases in other plants. The most evidence we have is that it does reduce the amount of greenfly and white fly.

PESTS
Lavender is remarkably free from pests. It is occasionally affected by cuckoo spit (caused by froghoppers / green capsid bug). It is a bit unsightly but causes no damage at all.

DISEASE
Lavender is also mainly free from pests. The diseases noted below are a rare occurrence.

Alfa Mosaic Virus is fatal. It can be identified by yellow areas appearing on the leaves. If left, the leaves will distort and the plant will eventually die. It is spread by aphid and human contact. As soon as it is noticed the plant should be dug up and burnt.

Shab (Phomopsis lavandulae) will also kill lavender plants. Several decades ago this disease decimated most of the commercially grown crops in the UK. But it has not been seen for 30 years or more.

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