Why does your Portulacaria afra have tiny black flies? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
The tiny black flies are likely the adult stage of fungus gnats, which thrive in the moist, organic-rich soil often used for Elephant Bush. Their larvae feed on organic matter and can damage the delicate root hairs of Portulacaria afra.
Similar to fungus gnats, Sciarid flies are attracted to the decaying root matter that occurs when Elephant Bush soil remains too wet for too long. They signal an environment with high humidity and insufficient drainage.
While not the cause of the flies themselves, poor drainage creates the moist substrate necessary for fly populations to explode. This secondary condition can lead to the swelling and eventual death of Portulacaria afra stems.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
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