What pests attack broccoli?

Cabbage moth, Cabbage root fly, Cabbage white caterpillars, Diamondback moth, Flea beetles, Leaf Miner

What diseases affect broccoli?

Bacterial soft rot, Clubroot, Downy Mildew, White mould (Sclerotinia)

Broccoli pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which broccoli problems need quick action?

Cabbage moth: Smooth caterpillars without obvious hairs, yellowish green to brownish green or almost black, growing to 40–50 mm. Bacterial soft rot: Small water-soaked spots that quickly enlarge, sink and turn soft and mushy; the tissue underneath is cream to black. Clubroot: Roots massively swollen and distorted into clubs, with few fine roots left. Downy Mildew: A white, grey or purple mould on the underside of the leaf, directly below each blotch, in damp weather. White mould (Sclerotinia): A soft, wet rot on stems, often near soil level; plants suddenly turn yellow, wilt and collapse.

Brassica oleracea

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for broccoli in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	11
Pests	6
Diseases	4
Nutrient deficiencies	1
Need quick action	5

How to grow broccoli · All pests and diseases

Pests

Cabbage mothSmooth caterpillars without obvious hairs, yellowish green to brownish green or almost black, growing to 40–50 mm.Photo: picture taken by Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Cabbage root flyBrassicas grow poorly, wilt and may die, especially recent transplants in early summer.Also called: cabbage maggot, cabbage flyPhoto: James K. Lindsey, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cabbage white caterpillarsHoles eaten in the outer leaves of brassicas; caterpillars and their droppings on the plants.Also called: large white, cabbage butterflyPhoto: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Diamondback mothSmall green caterpillars, up to about 1 cm, tapered at both ends; when touched they wriggle violently or drop and hang on a silk thread.Photo: Please report references to olei@despammed.com ., CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Flea beetlesMany tiny round pits and holes in the leaves (a shot-hole look); the pits often do not go right through and dry pale brown.Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leaf MinerSmall pale dots on the upper leaf surface where adult female flies have punctured the leaf to feed.Photo: Flowersabc, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Nutrient deficiencies

Boron deficiencyHollow stems and browning heads or curds in cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.Photo: Jan Hinrichs-Berger, LTZ Augustenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Which broccoli problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Cabbage moth: Young caterpillars feed in groups on the undersides of leaves and skeletonise them; they feed at night.
Bacterial soft rot: Slimy ooze and a strong, foul smell from the rotting tissue.
Clubroot: Growth and yield are badly reduced, and severely affected plants may die.
Downy Mildew: Badly affected leaves shrivel and turn brown or yellow and fall early; plants become stunted and some may die.
White mould (Sclerotinia): Masses of fluffy white, cotton-like mould on the affected parts, especially in cool, damp weather.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.