Question
Mr. Creed,

Let me begin by saying that I am a novice gardener/plant owner.  It took a while for me to realize something was wrong, but I know now that what's happening to my jasmine tree is not normal.  I have had a jasmine tree plant for about a year now.  It used to be very healthy and full of leaves.  I kept it outside on the porch last summer and brought it inside for the winter.  It has been in the corner of a bedroom with a temperature of about 70 degrees all winter.  Once I put it indoors, it started to lose it leaves very easily.  Then a couple months ago I noticed that a sticky substance started to accumulate underneath the pot it is in.  I thought this might be normal, but the amount of this sticky substance has steadily increased and now is getting on some of the leaves. Recently the branches have developed brown bumps all over them.  I can provide a photo if you need to see it.  I would love to save this plant if I can.  Is there anything I can try to 'cure' this plant?  And what is wrong with it?  

Answer
Hi there,

Thanks for the photo offer, but, unfortunately, I know what the problem is from your description. Your Jasmine has a scale insect infestation.

Scale can be hard to detect. When they are young these sucking insects are oval, slightly raised, translucent bumps about an eighth of an inch long. They can be found along stems and on the undersides of leaves. They don't look like bugs and don't appear to move. As they get older, they develop a hard, dark brown shell and look like a small mole. As the infestation increases, these sucking insects will secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that falls onto leaves, furniture and floors. This stickiness is the most obvious sign of scale and the one that most people notice first.

The key to eliminating scale is to treat even the ones that you cannot see. That means thoroughly drenching all leaf and stem surfaces until they are dripping wet. It is also best if you repeat this treatment all over again in 5 to 7 days to catch any crawlers (the translucent young ones) that you missed the first time. After that, you should check your plant weekly to see if they return.

I do not recommend any pesticides because they are all hazardous to use and not 100% effective against scale. The best non-toxic treatment for mealybug and scale is called Brand X Foliage Cleaner. It is available through Southwest Plantscape Products in California (www.southwestplantscape.com). Their phone is 1-800-333-7977.It is a silicon-based product so it is very slippery. Its ability to penetrate is probably the key to its effectiveness because it gets into the tiny crevices that other sprays miss.

You may want to try spraying with rubbing alcohol that will help break through the hard outer barrier of the scale and kill it. Mix 1 part alcohol with 5 parts of water. Add a little liquid soap to help it spread.

Important: None of these should be applied to plants in direct sunlight.

I also suggest that your prune your Jasmine back sharply first. This will help eliminate some of the legginess due to leaf loss and it will help promote new growth. But it will also make treating the scale that much easier.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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