Thrips on african violet
How do I get rid of thrips?
On african violet: Silvery streaking with tiny black specks, and new growth emerging distorted. Expect a month or two: part of the cycle happens inside the leaf and part in the soil.
Silvery or bronze streaking on leaves with tiny black specks of excrement, and new growth that emerges distorted or scarred. The adults are slender, under two millimetres, and slip into the tightest crevices; you will usually see the damage before the insect.
Why this plant gets them
its new growth is the target, and any damage already visible was done days ago while the leaf was still unfurling.
Drawn from this species' own record — humidity floor 40%, watering every 5–10 days, rosette habit. Full care entry.
The life cycle, and why one treatment fails
Part of the cycle happens inside plant tissue and part in the soil, which is why they are the hardest common houseplant pest to clear. Sprays reach neither of those stages.
What actually clears them
Expect a month or two, not a week. Remove the worst-affected leaves entirely. Spray weekly with insecticidal soap or spinosad, alternating, and treat the soil surface too, since pupae drop into it. Sticky traps confirm whether numbers are actually falling.
A single spray of anything. Treating only the foliage while ignoring the soil, which reseeds the population every generation. And hoping — thrips do not resolve on their own indoors.
Other pests recorded for this species
Is it a pest at all?
Plenty of what looks like pest damage is a care problem. If you cannot actually find the insect described above, check the diagnosis pages for this species instead — no flowers, root rot — where the causes are ranked for this plant specifically.
Thrips on other species here
10 other species in this database have thrips recorded against them. The treatment is the same; only the reason they are prone differs.
- Swiss cheese plant Araceae
- Polka dot begonia Begoniaceae
- Florist’s cyclamen Primulaceae
- Mini monstera Araceae
- Swiss cheese vine Araceae
- African mask plant Araceae
- Caladium Araceae
- Zebra alocasia Araceae
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Streptocarpus ionanthus Extension pest guidance.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Streptocarpus ionanthus Accepted name and family. Checked 2026-09-11.
- This database's own care record for Streptocarpus ionanthus — the humidity, watering and habit fields this page reasons from.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-12
Treatment guidance is the standard approach for this pest and is not specific to
your plant's condition. If a plant is already collapsing, the pest may not be the
whole story. How this is sourced.