Question
QUESTION: I'm having a similar problem as the person with the yucca. I have an indoor 6'
palm that gets little flying bugs, and now something that doesn't look like a
bug but is - hard to describe. Anyway, yesterday I noticed it had sticky sap all
over it that had dripped onto my hardwood floor. I cut off a lot of the bottom
leaves that were the worst, but it is still everywhere. Should I use the
alcohol/water/soap recipe? Can you give it to me in a smaller recipe? The
alcohol I bought is a pint. (I don't want to spend a lot of time on this and will
probably end up throwing out the poor thing and buying another one. This is
strike three.) Does this concoction kill the bugs or just retard them? I will put
it on a north-facing covered porch. I can't do this twice a week. I'm willing to
try it once a week, but I'm sick of all the problems with this plant. The bugs
are winning the war. I don't know how to use this site. Will you kindly email
me? Thanks, Diane

ANSWER: Diane,

You have my sympathy. I have had my own bad experiences with palms. The flying insects are either fungus gnats from overwatering or white fly which are attracted to palms. The sticky sap is called honeydew and is the excrement of the insects. The insects are probably scale that are attached to the back of the leaves. I have the best luck using rubbing alcohol by itself and spraying the insects. Rubbing alcohol will KILL any insect on any plant on contact and not hurt any plant. You will need to respray at least once a week for a month to kill any eggs that hatch.

If you give up on this palm do not buy another, these pllants have too many problems. I will not own one. There are many other beautiful plants that are much easier. Yuccas are easier and hae the look of small palms. Dracaena marginatas also look like small palm trees and are easy to care for. Good luck.

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, Darlene. I have two other palms with no problems whatsoever -
one's a lady palm, and the other is a very tall, skinny palm that's more an
outdoor variety. I got them all a little over a year ago, and no bugs on the
others. Do you know if lady palms have problems? Maybe I'll get another. I
have a couple of dracenas also and they are easy, but this is a beach house
and needs palms. It's too bad about this other palm because it is so beautiful
and grows like a weed, but the bugs are really taking over and it is slowly
being killed.
Thanks, Diane
Thanks,
Diane

ANSWER: Diane,

There are 3 palms that are consistantly good as house plants. They are: Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm), Chamaedorea (Bamboo Palms) species, and Rhapis species (Lady Palms).

The following article on the web goes into a lot of detail telling you what palms NOT TO BUY EVER and exactly why: http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-houseplants1.htm

If you have more questions after reading that  feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks very much, Darlene. I think I'll try leaching it and then spraying it all
over with alcohol. Maybe leave it outside for 2 months, spraying it as often as
I can and see what happens. Good to have those other three in case I need to
buy another. One last question: Can these bugs spread to other plants? They
haven't so far and it's been buggy for a long time.
Diane

Answer
Diane,

Yes,they can spread to other plants however most insects have certain plants they favor and I think that is what is you are dealing with. Gourmet insects that like your palm best.

If you are going to leave it outside for a couple of months there is another insecticide that I use on ficus trees and it can be used on outdoor trees. I beleive it would also be very effective on your palm. It is not cheap but it is highly effective and you should only have to treat it once a year. It is Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed.  It cost close to $20.00 for a 32 oz. bottle. You mix it with water and water the palm with it and it absorbs the chemical and poisons the insects. It lasts for 12 months on plants in the ground. On potted plants it may wash out in 6 months. It has been very successfull for me. You do not have to keep spraying. It is like a Miracle cure but the plant needs to stay outdoors for at least a couple weeks after treatment because it is a strong chemical. After that it is safe indoors. Good luck.

Darlene