A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems indoor palm tree has sticky stuff all over it!!!!!!

I have a potted palm tree that I have had for about 1 year. It all of a sudden has sticky stuff all over the fronds. I can't see any insects. What should I spray it with?

Debbie W.

It may be just sweating sap or it may be an insect called scale. Scale can be very hard to see as they do look like an insect at all, and can be missed easily if you do not know what you are looking for. They appear to look more like a small bump or barnacle on the leaf or stem, about half the size as a paper match head and close to the same shape. You can not see any legs or antenna. If this is the case you should try coating the plant with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. This smothers the insects instead of poisoning them.






Here us a link to a picture of them:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EDISImagePage?imageID=1033035554&dlNumber=MG005&tag=FIGURE%2010&credits=Lyle%20Buss,%20University%20of%20Florida

I read somewhere sprayin houseplant with milk helps ? Don't know but sure cant hurt.

My Grandmother always wiped down the leaves of her houseplants with milk. She said she was cleaning them, but now I wonder....

Bet Bill would know