I've had good luck with the larger cultivars of peace lily, personally -- I've had one for a few years, and it's been pretty reasonable. The smaller ones seem to have more issues with dry air. Palms and I aren't really speaking to each other anymore, and I wouldn't really recommend them, but it's not impossible. Lady palms (Rhapis excelsa) are supposed to be nice. If you're set on a big plant for both spots, there are some larger Aglaonemas (Chinese evergreen) that are very nice, and Ags are generally tolerant of everything except cold and full sun. I have a large Dieffenbachia that's been with me a while too, which I am very fond of: they're less patient than Aglaonemas, and need a bit more watering, but even so. The Dracaenas -- D. fragrans (corn plant) and D. deremensis ('Warneckii,' 'Lemon-Lime,' 'Janet Craig') are all very tolerant of neglect and dry air, and some get to be big. Overwatering is a concern. More or less the same thing goes for snake plants (Sansevieria trifasciata). I'm also a big fan of the long-leaf fig (Ficus binnendijkii), which I have found to be just fine with almost everything I've tried to do with it. Yucca elephantipes and Zamioculcas zamiifolia can both deal with pretty long periods of neglect, though both are slow growers (ZZ more so than Yucca) and will rot if overwatered. The Yucca might prefer more light than you have in those spots, but they're very adaptable. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolae, S. reginae) are a lot easier than they're given credit for, and I have mine (all four of them) in a west window. Watering is trickier with small plants than with large. Probably not the best choice, but if you like them, it could work out. Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) and fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) are both nice plants. A little moody, perhaps, but pretty tolerant of neglect and dry air, and both are great-looking if they're well taken care of. Schefflera actinophylla (umbrella tree) is also probably possible, but I'm hesitant to recommend those because they're so easily devoured by spider mites, especially in dry air.

Scott, Whether it's Asian cycad scale, magnolia scale or mealy bugs, you are on the right track with what you have done. Bayer make a product called Tree and Shrub that will finish the job, but you will have to apply it about every 6 months if it is the Asian cycad scale. You don't spray it, you drench the plant with it, soak the roots. The best time is just when you see a new flush of growth. The chem is Imidicloprid, same thing you put on your dog or cat for fleas. I use 2 ounces in 5 gals of water. john

Sounds like palmetto scale. I've been fighting it on my potted Sabal Palmettos since I got them about 2 years ago. I have been washing with soap. If you really mean business use some systemic granuals.

Jeez! I wonder why no one has responded to your post. I don't know what that white stuff is, and the curiosity is killing me! I have been following your posts, hoping someone would answer. Are you sure there are no mealybugs, they make white stuff...I remember you said that you looked under microscope...maybe fungus? Anyway, has the white stuff returned since you cleaned it?