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Florida Gardening

Mystery stuff on my purselane...help.

16 years ago

Does anyone know what this is on my purselane (or moss rose)?

It doesn't move at all, so to me, that rules out white flies. I'm thinking it's some type of fungus? I have had it on other pots of purslane before and it eventually kills the whole plant. It looks like spun cotton or white hairs.

It seems to attack the flower buds and kills them before they bloom. So, eventually, there are no blooms on the plant.

My purselane is in a large mexican pot and the purselane cascades over the entire pot and has a tree hibiscus in the center. It's quite lovely and I have to be careful whatever I use doesn't kill my hibiscus.

What is it and how do I get rid of it? Thanks for any help I can get. If you need a better pic, I can try to get a closer view.

{{gwi:900154}}

Featured Answer

AmberSky

16 years ago

It seems kind of fungus-y to me. I'd use a tbs of dish soap, a tbs of rubbing alcohol and 2tbs of baking soda in a quart of water, and spray.

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Comments (15)

msmarion
16 years ago
I'm not sure what it is. I've treated mine with alcohol on a cotton swab quite successfully.
Marion
coffeemom
16 years ago
I had mealy bug. I was not successful(read lazy) in getting rid of it. Good luck
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SaintPFLA
Original Author
16 years ago
Is this mealy bug? I have no clue.

Marion: thanks for the advice with the alcohol. There's too much of it to apply the effort that you did, but what about spritzing it with alcohol? Would that work?
Is this the same stuff you had?
manature
16 years ago
I think spritzing the alcohol would probably kill it, but would also probably wipe out the whole plant. Soap spray might work better, either Amber's recipe or a product like Safer, maybe?

Marcia
juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl
16 years ago
The University of Florida says that portulaca grandiflora is only occasionally bothered by mealybugs. Other than rot due to excess water, this was the only disease/pest mentioned for this plant.

Mealybug is a common pest of hibiscus, however. I would decide upon an acceptable control method that is safe for the hibiscus (systemic, biological, etc.) and then apply that to the purslane. Meanwhile watch your hibiscus closely to nip any infestation there.

There is also a pink mealybug infestion in South Florida. The literature I read indicated there is no control for it and plants infected by it must be destroyed.

Wishing you success - June
manature
16 years ago
Forgot to say, this doesn't look like any mealybug I ever saw. Mealy bugs are white, softbodied critters that look more like patches of a white mold. They aren't fuzzy looking like this stuff.

Marcia
manature
16 years ago
Here is a photo of mealybugs, for ya!
AmberSky
16 years ago
Ooh, the evil things!

Hate mealy bugs!
SaintPFLA
Original Author
16 years ago
I really don't believe it's mealy bugs either. I don't know what it is, frankly. I am inclinded to think it's some kind of fungus...I'm stumped.

I sprayed some Rose fugicide on it. Honestly, it did nothing. What seems to have helped the most is the long sunny days. Most of this began in the winter when there was more of a shade shadow over the plant.
deeg
16 years ago
I don't know what it is either but my Purslane and Portulaca seem to get it every season. Honestly, I thought it was due to the long, hot days. I always just leave it alone. It still seems to flower and the next season it's gone and the plant looks great!

Dee
miss_lisa_1369
7 years ago
It's done blooming for the season ladies.. Trim them down for winterizing. It's not a bug, this is my 1st yr w/them & I dead head everyday to get more blooms faster. But my 88 yr old Grandma says it's done & I believe her.
HU-93193076296
5 years ago
I don't think it's really bugs, I'm thinking it's a fugus, and it's killing my puslane. Need help please, any ideas?
dirtygardener
5 years ago
That sounds like white rust. It likes portulaca.
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
5 years ago
I can't help with the purslane problem. However, this is a great 1:38 video related to the subject:

Purslane and portulaca are related but very different

Carol in Jacksonville

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