Scale
My jasmine has dropped a lot of leaves. What concerns me is the leaves appear to have bumps and sticky stuff on the surface of the leaves and stems. What is this? 
Your jasmine plant has scale
The first sign of scale is the clear sticky honeydew on the leaves/stems and surrounding area. The bumps on the leaves and stems can vary in size and color due to the stage of development. Underneath the bumps (which protect them from sprays) are eggs and crawlers. They eventually crawl out from the shell but are difficult to detect because they are clear in color. It is at this stage, that they are vulnerable to sprays, and if treated can be controlled.
Treatment options
Persistent spraying is important. Neem oil can be used twice a month for 2 months. Use 1 oz. (2Tbsp) of Neem Oil , 1 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent to 1 gallon of water. Another recommendation for shiny-leaved plants only is Cedoflora, which is low in toxicity, safe and effective.
A stronger option is Orthene, a systemic pesticide. It renders the whole plant as poisonous and insects die after feeding on it. It smells bad and should be used with extreme caution. (Never indoors). There are several systemic houseplant insect controls (B0nide, Bayer)available that can be used indoors for potted houseplants.
For all chemical products-make sure you follow manufacturers direction for safe and effective usage.
For a safe treatment try some horticultural oil on a Q-tip and dab on individual adult scale. The oil will kill them by suffocation. For cottony cushion scale use rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip. You can also scrape them off with your fingernail which can be a very tedious task. *Repeated sprays of insecticidal soap once a week can help control the problem. One treatment is not effective as you may kill the adult but not the next generation. Check your plant often for scale insects so that you can control any infestation before it gets out of control.
*Do not use insectidal soap on shiny leaved plants (gardenia); as they have a tendency to be sensitive to soap sprays which causes phytotoxicity-yellow/brown spotting and burned tips.
I brought my Mandevilla indoors for the winter. We live in Zone 5. It survived quite nicely and it is now outside for the summer. It’s producing lovely new growth and it is climbing well, but I’m not getting any flowers. Does this bloom every other year?
i have gardenia tree but the leaves are turning yellow n dark black coat on my leaves what could I d0 please help
We have 30 English Laurels. Last year we treated them with a Bayer systemic for hard shell red scale – it came came back. We treated them again this year. It came back. We have spent over $1,000. Do we give up? Hate using poison and hate wasting money. There is no way to treat each leaf. We would need 10,000 flower fairies for that as there are way too many leaves. How discouraging…
Help! I have dwarf bamboo planted under a window. Every AM and PM there is what looks like, beads of water on the ends of the leaves. this touches my window and i have what looks like hard water deposits on the window now. i have tried CLR, simple green, alcohol, windex, and even WD40, thinking it is a resin. I have been able to get just a little off using a razor blade. My window is destroyed. It has nothing but STREAKS of this on it. It is dry to the touch on the window. ANY SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!! I am desperate.
I have yellow sticky substance on the stems of my red mandavilla. Dont know if theyre eggs or live insects. Can you tell me what it is and if it can be treated or if its harmful to the plant.
I have a mandivilla that I put a soapy solution on the plant to kill what I thought was mealybugs. The next morning the leaves had brown spots all over them and then they began to get burnt looking and they would fall off. I am afraid I have done major damage and will loose the plant. What, if anything can I do. Thanks so much for your help.
Insecticidal Soap spray problem
I have both Gardenias and Mandevillas and thought I was doing the right thing and sprayed them along with my Roses with insecticidal soap to stop the annual aphid infestation, not knowing that the soap would be harmful to the Mandevillas and Gardenias. The leaves have turned yellow with red and brown spots and are falling off and it appears there are no insects on any of the leaves. What should I do now? Fertilize? Wait?
I have this Gardenia Tree and it was fine and blooming nicely. When I brought it in doors it has these white little bugs on it. I use my finger nail and cleaned them off and even sprayed with dish soap but it doesn’t stop them. Now I have yellow leaves with brown tips on them and buds that haven’t bloomed yet. What do I do?
Sincerely Doreen
Hi Doreen
What kind of white little bugs are they? Do they fly? Are they on the leaves, stems, underside of the leaves?
Overwatering symptoms
My Mandevila is dropping its leaves—how do you know if you are over watering? Thanks
Yellow/brown leaf drop
My problem is that the leaves of my beautiful “Mandy” turn yellow then brown. Then i can easily pick them off or they fall off by themselves. She keeps flowering and climbing however and i just discard the ugly leaves.
Do you think the Neem oil or the Cedoflora would alieviate this condition?
My other three Mandy’s are just fine.
What do you suggest?
Oops….Jasmine plant had BLACK & yellow catterpillar like things with legs. Not red & black.
This year Red Mandavilla has hard shell bright yellow bugs with legs. Thousands appeared over night on top half.
What are both plant problems?
What to do for problems?
Caterpillar things did not spread last year but have 5 large Jasmine on lattice fencing and they did get on a Passion vine in front yard. Easily picked off. Not seen this year yet.
The Red Mandevilla in pot…recently bought. Have pink one on lattice in back yard and never had a problem and it was next to the Jasmine vine that had a problem.
Can I prevent the caterpillar type thing (I don’t want to lose my beautiful 1st year of very full blooms.
I do not want to put the Mandevilla in the ground now and wonder if should move away from alot of potted plants outside on uncovered patio with the Florida’s gulfcoastal weather.
this time i added my email contact as i am concerned for all my plants outside.
some are potted and some planted. I live on the gulfcoast of Florida’s Panhandle.
Last year my Jasmine vines got red & black hairy worms that looked like they came out of what a dirt dobber makes. The dried mud houses appeared opened and on stems, but not to the degree the worms were. This is the third year planted in ground and first year BLOOMED & beautiful. What were thoses & will they come back.
I hand picked thoses off the vines.
NOW, last night admired all plants (cared for earlier yesterday) and all was well. Early this morning THOUSANDS of hard shell bright yellow round bugs with alot of legs were covering half the top heighth of a 21/2 foot tall potted Red Mandevilla. Sprayed off with hose. What are they & what do I need to do for them not to return or kill them? Will they spread to other potted plants & ground plants?
My indoor ficus plant (never been outdoor) has a sticky substance on its leaves. It’s 4 years old & appears to be very healthy. Is the sticky substance a good thing (like sap from the tree) or bad (insects)?
Mary Ellen Donaghy
SCALE
My gardenia plant leaves are shiny and wet with a sticky residue. plant seems healthy and i cannot see alot of insect . ihave had mealy bug on my OLEANDER and have treated sucessfuly with malathion .should i use something different on my GARDENIA? Craig
Hi
I’m a new to the house plant thing. I’ve searched your site because my staghorn fern has little white/ brownish bumps. I see a picture but the article it is with doesn’t talk about the staghorn but a jasmine plant. I’m assuming I have some sort of insect. But I’m not sure how to take care of it. Can you please advise.
Thanks
F
Is there any way to remove sooty mold and scale from an 80 year old gardenia. I have tried washing each leaf, but there are thousands on this plant. It was my grandmother’s plant.
Is this plant indoors or outdoors? See above article for treatments..
Sooty mold
Hello,
I have a Confederate Jasmine that a purchased a few months back. It has lost all its blooms but is growing quit well. I live about 1 hour north of Tampa Bay. It gets alot of morning sun. I’ve notice that there is a stick black substance on the end of some of the stems. Could this be causing it not to flower? Also what should I use to treat this bug? Also can I treat the plant for the bug and fertilize it at the same time? Thanks Dianne
I have a mandevilla vine and am bringing it indoors for the 2nd winter. My question is last year I brought it in and it got a white scale on it. I thought I lost it. But it survived when I took it out I cut some of the winter growth off and it did fine. What is this white scale and how do I get rid of it if it does this again this winter.