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Florida Gardening Foliage Plants

Croton stems full of white stuff - how to treat?

irma_stpete_10a

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Help, please! I can't find info online about this re crotons. Closest is powdery mildew on leaves - but there is/was none on these leaves. (I've now removed all dead leaves.)

The plant was producing new leaves so I had assumed all was well and not looking at the stems until I started removing lower drying/dying leaves. There was a small long filmy-appearing flying insect buzzing the white stuff.

It has been dry for weeks here and I've tried to keep it watered. Gets direct sun about 11 am to 1 pm. Never happened before to this, a favorite croton grown from a 3" pot, Angel brand, for nearly 20 years.

Use vinegar? Buy something? (I rarely have anything attacking my plants - that I know of - can see.)

Featured Answer

irma_stpete_10a
Original Author

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Thanks, everyone, for all these useful solutions.

What I did was to immediately clean around every leaf with rubbing alcohol on a q-tip and then rinsed with water. I check it daily and follow up with the same. Today I cut back one of the branches for looks - it had already started to sprout on the stem - and potted the cutting.

What I am still wondering is WHY this bush - and for the first time in its 15+ years - attracted the mealy bugs when no other plant in my large yard of ornamentals (I attempt no veggies or fruit) has a single mealy bug visible. This croton gets no more and no less water and food than any other, and it is surrounded by ornamentals.

Oh, well! I hope to be able to post a photo when the plant is back on track.

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Comments (7)

nel5397
2 years ago
It looks like a bad case of mealy bugs.
irma_stpete_10a thanked nel5397
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you! Yes, now it's obvious - my mistake was looking online specifically under "croton" instead of under "white sticky stuff". This seems to address the subject well: https://www.epicgardening.com/mealybugs/
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fawnridge (Ricky)
2 years ago
Mealy bugs. Cut off the branches that are heavily infected and treat the rest of the plant with a mixture of soapy water and garlic powder. Do it twice a week for three weeks.
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irma_stpete_10a thanked fawnridge (Ricky)
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
2 years ago
Ants put them there. Then they farm the honeydew that the pests secrete.
irma_stpete_10a thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
So the ants brought in the mealybugs to produce croton candy syrup for them? Gotta give them more credit!
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
2 years ago
LOL! That's one way to put it.
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