Question
My favorite plant has what I think is mealy bugs.  They are small, white, and looks like cotton.  Some are very small and beige-colored (size of a pin-head or smaller); some are larger, white and cottony.  They are mostly on the tops of the leaves, some on the bottoms if the leaf is curled under quite a bit.

As for the type of plant...I don't know what it is.  I bought it at a garage sale.  It is a nice glossy green.  It has never flowered for me, but the lady I bought it from said it has very unusual flowers (white, lily-type I think she said).  Its total size is about 3 1/2 feet wide, 2 1/2 feet tall.  It's hanging.  Its leaves are one per individual stem from the soil, and on average the leaves are about 4" wide, 10" long.

With that information, I have four questions:
1.  Can you tell me what kind of plant it is?
2.  Does it sound like mealy bugs?
3.  How does a plant get mealy bugs?  To my knowledge, none of my other plants have it, and I don't go around touching other people's plants.
4.  How can I get rid of them?

I hope you can help!

Answer
Hi Andrea,

I can help!

1. Your plant is probably a peace lily (Spathiphyllum). If you want to e-mail a photo to me at the address below my name, I can confirm this for you.

2. You have described mealybugs very well. That is exactly what your plant has.

3. In most instances, plants pests are on the plants in very small numbers when they are sold. They are nearly invisible to the untrained eye. Once a plant is under stress (poor light, improper watering, etc.), the juvenile pests start to mature and reproduce rapidly. They seemingly appear out of nowhere.

 Mealybugs can also be transmitted from one plant to another via hands, clothing, etc. However this is less common. I suggest that you check all of your plants very carefully for early signs of mealybug. Look for them in tiny spaces where leaves and stems attach.

4. Use a spray solution of 1 part rubbing alcohol and 6-8 parts water and add a little squirt of liquid soap. Spray the entire plant covering all leaf and stem surfaces until they are dripping wet. If you miss some spots, you may miss a few mealybugs that will reproduce and come back again. Thoroughgness of spray coverage is the key.

Good luck and please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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