Calcareous water
Palms need a certain amount of humidity to thrive. Frequent wetting of the fronds with a spray device is therefore advisable. However, some plant lovers use unfiltered tap water for this, which in some regions contains a lot of lime. After drying, this remains as an ugly white spot on the foliage.
also read
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remedy
In areas with hard tap water, you should only use the palm
- distilled
- filtered
- or stale
Mist water.
Scale insects
These lice excrete a secretion that covers the insects like a protective shield and protects them from the elements and predators. The sap-sucking animal does not move, but sits under its shield together with a multitude of eggs. White discoloration of the leaves can be seen at the puncture sites, which often results in fungal infections (sooty mildew).
Combat
Scale insects are very stubborn parasites that like to hide in areas of the palm that are difficult to access. Follow these steps:
- Isolate the plant immediately.
- First shower off with a sharp jet of water.
- Then apply a systematic poison in the form of a stick or spray.
Contact poisons unfortunately prove to be ineffective with scale insects, as the pests are extremely well protected by their hard back armor.
Mealybugs (mealybugs)
These white colored insects, which also belong to the scale insects, sit almost motionless on the leaves and look like white spots. When viewed with a magnifying glass, they resemble tiny cotton balls and are therefore relatively easy to identify.
If the infestation is light, you can remove it by showering the palm. It is then also possible to combat it with pure alcohol, which is applied directly to the pests with a cotton swab. If the infestation is severe, you should always treat the palm with a suitable insecticide.
Tips
It is often recommended to scrape off large scale insect colonies with a knife. However, this is only useful for isolated animals. Scraping carries the risk of distributing the many eggs and larvae that also live under the shields over the whole plant. This inadvertently ensures that the plague spreads.
