Why does your Salvia sclarea have tiny black flies? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
The presence of tiny black flies in Clary Sage is most often due to fungus gnats, whose larvae thrive in the moist organic matter of the topsoil. They are attracted to the damp conditions required by Salvia sclera and feed on decaying plant material or root systems.
Overwatering Salvia sclarea creates a humid microclimate at the soil surface that attracts various dipteran flies. The flies themselves may not be eating the plant, but their presence indicates a substrate environment that is too anaerobic for this Mediterranean species.
While less common as 'flying' pests, certain aphid species can appear as tiny dark moving dots on the stems. They suck the sap from the succulent stems of Clary Sage, potentially causing leaf curling or stunted growth.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
English
Italiano
