White spots on the top of the palm leaves are common. In addition to parasitic damage, i.e. damage caused by harmful insects, care errors can also be responsible for the unsightly discoloration.
What causes white spots on palm leaves?
White spots on palm leaves can be caused by hard water, scale insects or mealybugs (mealybugs). Use distilled, filtered or stale water to spray and remove or treat lice with insecticides or other appropriate methods.
Calciferous water
Palm trees require a certain level of humidity to thrive. Frequent wetting of the fronds with a sprayer is therefore advisable. However, some plant lovers use unfiltered tap water, which in some regions contains a lot of lime. After drying, this remains as an ugly white spot on the leaves.
Remedy
In areas with hard tap water, you should only use the palm tree with
- distilled
- filtered
- or stale
Mist water.
Scale insects
These lice secrete a secretion that acts like a protective shield over the insects and protects them from the elements and predators. The sap-sucking animal does not move, but sits under its shield together with a large number of eggs. White leaf discoloration appears at the puncture sites, and fungal infections (sooty mold) often occur as a result.
Combat
Scale insects are very stubborn parasites that like to hide in hard-to-reach areas of the palm tree. Follow these steps:
- Isolate plant immediately.
- First shower with a sharp jet of water.
- Then apply a systematic poison in stick form or as a spray.
Contact poisons unfortunately prove to be ineffective against scale insects, as the pests are excellently protected by their hard carapace.
Mealybugs
These white-colored pest 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 there is a slight infestation, you can remove it by showering the palm tree. It is also possible to fight 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 tree with a suitable insecticide.
Tip
It is often recommended to scrape off large scale insect colonies with a knife. However, this only makes sense for isolated animals. Scraping carries the risk of spreading the many eggs and larvae that also live under the shields all over the plant. In doing so, you inadvertently cause the plague to spread.
