Fuchsia gall mite
PEST
When it's active · UK
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Northern Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Central Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Southern Italy and islands
JFMAMJJASOND
How to recognise it
Distorted, swollen and reddened shoot tips and flower buds that fail to open normally, resembling a small gall.
Life cycle and conditions
Microscopic mites spread by wind, insects and contact between plants; active through the growing season.
Prevention
Buy fuchsias from a reputable source — this is a notifiable pest in the UK; avoid taking cuttings from affected plants.
How to treat it
🌿 ORGANIC · RECOMMENDED
Cut out and dispose of (don't compost) all distorted growth promptly — this is the only effective response and works well if caught early.
🧪 CHEMICAL · IF YOU CHOOSE
No approved chemical control is available to amateur gardeners for this pest — prompt removal of affected growth is the recommended and only real option.
PLANTS MOST AFFECTED
IN THE CARE SHEETS
Fuchsia