skip to main content

Palms & Cycads Garden Clinic Integrated Pest Management

Is this a mealy bug infestation?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

I've sprayed with soapy water as someone else had suggested, but not sure if this is actually mealy bugs. Could it be powdery mildew? Or something else? I have cut down all of the brown and yellow branches so only the greenest are left, but it's looking pretty dire. There have also been small ants around the white stuff, it looks like they're eating it or nesting in it?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Krista Roberto
Original Author
4 years ago
0
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Possibly scale, but whatever the bug, you need to eradicate it! Start with using a sponge soaked in alcohol and 'paint' all surfaces of the leaves. Then use a horticultural oil spray and spray the plant down, even down into the crown. Repeat every week or so. If that doesn't work, throw it out and begin over with new plant. Keep your plant quarantined from any others.
0
Related Discussions
Phormium/NZ Flax has bad mealy bugs/white mildew - what can I do
Q
Comments (4)
They're tough plants which should do fine without intervention. So I suspect something is wrong in its environment. Perhaps it's in a pot rather than the ground; and/or poor drainage; and/or too much water; and/or too little sun. Beyond that, if it's in a pot and has mealybugs, have you looked at the rootball? If you find whitish smudges, the plant has root mealybugs. Discard plant. If you'll keep the pot, clean thoroughly.
...See More
Yew with severe mealy bug infestation
Q
Comments (6)
I've never had much luck killing mealies with insecticidal soap - They've got some sort of waxy coating that makes the soap ineffective. I have found isopropol alcohol to be very effective, even at penetrating the wooly nests, but it can cause the plant to become dessicated if it isn't washed off after a few minutes. If your yews aren't too big, you could just dump some isopropol alcohol into a sprayer and douse the tree with that, then hose it down after a minute. The alcohol kills anything it's going to kill right away, so there's no point in leaving it on. If you do this every week for a month you should have killed most of them off, as their life cycle is about 30 days. There is a product called Safer's Fine Oil Spray, which is supposed to dissolve the waxy coating, making them susceptable to the insecticidal soap. I've never used it, or even seen it for sale for that matter, but if you can find it, it might be worth a try. Particularly if you don't want to use the alcohol BP
...See More
diatomaceous earth for mealy bugs in succulents?
Q
Comments (2)
I planted succulents in the foolish hope of a low water, low maintenance yard. It's NOT a foolish hope. You just happened to get infected stock, or there were already mealybugs in the area that moved in. Phormiums have become bad for mealy infestations. Check down in the base of the Phormiums and if necessary treat Bayer systemic to kill off the mealies there also. A few days of diligent repeat spray of an alcohol/water mix can kill off the mealies. Once predators get established you may never have problems again. Please realize that "low maintenance" is not the same as "no maintenance", and even a yard that is nothing but a concrete slab needs maintenance (sweeping).
...See More
What is wrong with my Star Jasmine Bonsai?
Q
Comments (1)
This isn't a plant I know well, but would try to find the sunniest, warmest spot. While cooler & missing so much sunshine during winter, keeping it moist could lead to rotting roots. I don't see any mealybugs from this pic. Pest damage on a leaf is permanent, so looking at the new foliage would be the best indicator to see if it's now going to grow normally. Thrips can also cause that kind of deformation of leaves. Best vibes!!
...See More
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
could we see a pic of the whole ...

palms shed leaves .. fronds i suppose.. yearly ... it is the oldest ones.. outer most ... and usually in winter .... or shortly thereafter ...

and not unlike deciduous trees.. the dead leaves can get pretty funky before removal or shedding ...

that is not to say.. something else isnt going on ... but perhaps there is more than one thing going on ...

how does the new center growth look??? ... is it affected... or looking good.. hence the further pic ... [on rereading i see its not great either...]

finally.. many of the problem bugs exude honeydew ... a sugary substance.. and often the ants harvest such ... the ants are usually what catches our eye.. to find the real culprit ... but the ants are really not a problem at all .. in regard the plant ...but yikes... we dont want them in the house ...

more finally ... lol ... if you are in a warm enough area.. you might want to isolate this outside... in full shade.. until we figure this out.. and what to do about it ...

sometimes.. its just easier to get rid of the whole mess .. if its not some treasured plant.. like grandmas.. or something like that.. otherwise... palms shouldnt be that rare that you need to spend a hundred bucks trying to cure and save a $20 plant.. if you get my drift ...

ken

ps: also. what 'soap' did you use ... when such is suggested.. they mean horticultural soap.. not you common dish DETERGENT ... which can severely harm tender leaves .. of which i never thought of palm as being tender ... but thats another episode ...
0
Krista Roberto thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Related Stories

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Bid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the Good

By Matt Kilburn

Give ants their marching orders and send mosquitoes moseying, while creating a garden that draws pollinators and helpful eaters

UPHOLSTERY The Perks and Perils of Reupholstering Old Furniture

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Secondhand upholstered pieces can add character to a room, but beware of bugs, snakes and hidden costs

EDIBLE GARDENS Garden BFFs? Why Your Vegetables Are Begging for Companion Plants

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Foster friendships among plants for protection from pests, pollination support and color camaraderie

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD My Houzz: Family and Nature at the Heart of It All

By Tamara Armstrong

A designer transforms a run-down house into a clean and comfortable family home

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 10 Ways to Enjoy Your Outdoor Room More

By Laura Gaskill

Step up the comfiness and convenience of your porch, patio or yard to make time spent outdoors even better

STORAGE 9 Ways to Avoid a ‘Floordrobe’ in Your Bedroom

Repeat after me: The floor isn’t storage space for clothes! Tackle the ‘floordrobe’ effect with these smart tips

CONTEMPORARY HOMES Houzz Tour: Strong, Modern Lines Stand Up to the Trees

By Mary Jo Bowling

Modernism takes kindly to the New York woods, with double-height ceilings for openness and a burbling creek for music

GARDENING GUIDES A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Succulents

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

Their easy-care reputation is well-deserved, but a little TLC will turn succulents into star plants

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

CONTAINER GARDENS Happy Houseplants, Happy People

By Laura Gaskill

Potted plants add life and beauty to a room. Learn easy ways to keep them healthy

Sponsored

More Discussions

Palm tree name?

3

Please help my palm ignorance!

4

palms and cycads

0

Can I put these in a worm bin?

1

Sick pindo palm

0