banana palm?? is it a banana? or a palm? Most likely you have a palm or bird of paradise with either scale insects or mealy bug. Inspect the leaves & stems for little brown bumps (scale) or white, cottony bumps (mealy bug). Buy a spray insecticide for the control of these two pests on tropicals, and preferrably move your plant outside to a shady location & treat until you have the problem under control. Either of these insects is almost impossible to totally eliminate, so repeated, periodic applications will probably be necessary.

I'll bet scale. If it feels like a sap that's a sure sign of scale. I learned about it the hard way last spring

thanks guys!

i had a look and it is indeed scale.

i thought i would be safe with the palm as the leaves are hard and waxy, but as i looked on the internet, the palms are not immune. see the link below for a picture of the palm and the scales attached.

i plan to use a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol to get rid of them. i would move the plant outdoors, but unfortunately, i reside in a nyc apartment.

i would greatly appreciate any other suggestions for indoor control of these little monsters.

thanks again!!!

sincerely,
jeff

Here is a link that might be useful: http://jeffnycity.blogspot.com/

Nice plant, but its neither a palm or a banana. Just as I suspected, you have a white bird of paradise 'Strelitzia nicolai'. Don't bother dilluting the rubbing alcohol...you can use it full strength, it won't harm the plant or you. First, pick off the adult scale (brown bumps) from the leaves & stems, then gently but thoroughly wipe the underneath side of the leaves as well as the stems with a soft cloth saturated with the rubbing alcohol. Repeat this treatment every week for a month or so, and then keep a close eye on it for any adult scale to appear. It should be fine, but don't be surprised if you see the scale reappear periodically. As long as you keep it under control, it won't kill a plant that size.

thank you!! i've been looking online and could not find a banana palm that matched this although they told me that it was a banana palm at the garden center.

thank you for the advice. i'll begin treatment immediately and let you know how the plant is doing.

much thanks!!!

sincerely,
jeff

Hey! overwatered banana plants will leak sap amd water from their leaves when overwatered. if there no other sign of pests then its most likely that. good luck!

16 years ago it was established the plant in question was not a banana.