Ponytail Palms, or Beaucarnea recurvata, are ornamental plants known for their elephant foot-shaped trunk and long, green leaves. These plants are susceptible to several pests and diseases. Recognizing the symptoms of each and knowing what you are dealing with in advance can help you save your Ponytail Palm’s life.
So, what are white, fuzzy, and hairy spots on your Ponytail Palm? Often confused with a fungus, these spots are the main symptoms of a Mealybugs infestation. The cotton-like material is either the bugs or their secretion. Treat this condition immediately as it can spread quickly and do so by isolating the plant, washing it with soapy water, and using pesticides.
A mealybugs infestation can be challenging to treat and contain, yet you can be successful in saving your plant if you act quickly at the first symptoms. Read below what to do in case of a mealybugs infestation.
Ponytail Palm Mealybug Infestation
As mentioned, it is essential to recognize the symptoms of mealybugs in advance to limit their spread and contain the consequences they can have on the wellbeing of the plant. Therefore, this is what you might see in the case of a mealybug infestation:
- The first thing you will notice is a fluffy, hairy, white wax visible on the leaves’ axils. However, the infestation can start from other hidden parts of the plants, such as nodes and below the leaves. The white, cotton-like mold is a secretion (or honeydew) produced by the bug to hide and protect their orange-pink eggs.
- The white spots can also be found on the stalk, stems, trunk, and roots of the plant. These are caused by root mealybugs, which are usually yellow.
- As the infestation worsens, you can start to notice accumulations of honeydew across the leaves, and stems of the plant. The surfaces of your Ponytail Palm will likely become sticky and promote the growth of sooty mold. This fungus can cause the leaves to turn black subsequently.
- Mealybugs such the nutrient out of the plant’s leaves as they feed on it. Therefore, in the case of more severe infestation with many mealybugs, you will notice the plant wilt and even premature leaf fall.
What Are Mealybugs
Mealybugs are scale insects often considered pests due to their harmful effects on trees and houseplants. These insects are white, oval-shaped, and tend to reproduce and multiply quickly. They live in groups and tend to feed on the sup of the plant, producing honeydew to expel from their system the sugar in excess.
As they feed on the plant’s sup, these insects can become highly dangerous if not controlled from their first appearance. Indeed, they can absorb so many of the vital nutrients from the leaves and roots that you can soon see your plant wilting and losing leaves.
If not stopped in time, the white, fuzzy honeydew on the leaves become a cradle for soot-like mold. As this fungus starts to grow and develop, you can notice your plant’s leaves starting to turn black. It can be complicated to contain the infestation and save your plant at this stage.
Lastly, it is worth noticing that, aside from preferring warm climates, Mealybugs are active all year round, and houseplants tend to be more prone to attacks.
Causes of Ponytail Palm Mealybug Infestation
All plants, including the Ponytail Palm, can become the target of a mealybugs infestation. However, certain conditions in which this plant usually thrives makes it easier and comfortable for the bug to settle on its leaves.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on May 16, 2020.
Environment
Firstly, a Ponytail Palm cultivated indoors will be more subjective than others to the attack of Mealybugs. Indeed, outdoors, several types of bugs, such as ladybugs, and fungi, such as the Lecanicillium lecanii, feed on mealybugs.
Instead, keeping your plant indoors creates a protected environment for the pests to thrive undisturbed.
Temperatures
Temperatures are also another causing factor behind a mealybugs infestation. Indeed, these pests prefer warm temperatures, and they tend to die off if exposed to cold environments.
At the same time, the Ponytail Palm is known to prefer warm environments with temperatures between 60℉ and 80℉ (15℃ to 26℃). In turn, this creates the perfect ecosystem for the mealybug to thrive and reproduce.
If the infestation you are dealing with is still contained or at the first stages, you could opt to move your plant in a colder spot: the mealybugs will move to the warmest side of the plant, from which you can easily wipe them off.
Remedies to Ponytail Palm Mealybug Infestation
Before diving into the options you have to salvage your plant, it is crucial to notice that a single female mealybug produces up to 600 eggs at a time before dying. Hatching can happen as often as every three weeks.
This data gives you an indication of how quickly mealybugs can reproduce, multiplicate, and spread across the surfaces of your plant. While healthy plants can tolerate a small colony without significant visible side effects, as the colony grows, your Ponytail Palm’s life can be in danger. Acting promptly as soon as you notice the first signs of a mealybugs infestation can genuinely increase the chances of survival of your plant.
Pesticides
The quickest and most effective way to get rid of a still-small infestation of ladybugs is through chemical pesticides. To use the method, you should:
- Isolate the plant from your other house plants to limit the spread of the mealybugs.
- Use organic sprays such as natural pyrethrum, plant oils, and fatty acids. These can wear off quickly, and you might need to apply them multiple times to see results.
- Other pesticides, such as synthetic pyrethroids lambda-cyhalothrin, are more persistent and can be used on ornamental plants, only following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Keep any substance away from other plants producing flowers or fruits.
Natural Remedies
If you would like to choose a more natural remedy for your Ponytail Palm infected by mealybugs, some solutions can help.
- Dab the affected area and the insects with a Q-tip, rubbed in alcohol.
- Using Neem Oil can disrupt the reproduction and spread of mealybugs.
- Create a home-made soap spray to clean the leaves. Notice that the soap will have to cover the bugs and eggs entirely to kill them, and large amounts of soap can be harmful to the plant. If you opt for this alternative, only use a quarter of soft water and two teaspoons of mild soap.
Ponytail Palm Mealybug Prevention
Mealybugs can affect any plant, regardless of whether these are indoors or outdoors. Ponytail palms are prone to the attacks of these pests, but some techniques can help you limit the chances of future infestations.
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on May 16, 2020.
- Since female mealybugs don’t fly, these infestations are brought on your Ponytail Palm by external plants. Inspect any new purchase before introducing it into your greenhouse or home. In any case, you should keep any new plant in quarantine for a month before putting it next to your other houseplants.
- Trim and prune any dead leaves or parts of the Ponytail Palm that have fallen off, as these are usually weaker or already affected by mealybugs.
- Get rid of infested plants altogether, as this can contain the infestation.
- Avoid fertilizing or watering your plant: mealybugs prefer to station on healthy plants that present high levels of nitrogen.
Final Thoughts
Mealybugs can represent a threat to the life of your Ponytail Palm if not treated promptly. These pests tend to reproduce and spread quickly, and they feed on the nutrients in the leaves of your plant. While larger plants can easily tolerate small colonies of mealybugs, as they multiply, you might notice your plant’s leaves turning black or falling prematurely.