My indoor Palm plant about -2” high developed a shiny sticky substance on the tops of some of its leaves. Up close looks whitish. The undersides look ok. Can I save this plant that I started as a baby.
Dear Gardener,
Thank you for reaching out to Toronto Master Gardeners about the sticky substance on your palm plant leaves. These are a number of insects that produce honeydew in the process of feeding on plants: aphids, mealybugs and scale insects.
As these insects can be very small, especially in their earlier lifecycles, the first step is to use a magnifying glass to identify what your plant is dealing with. While it is difficult to make a positive identification from your image, your image suggests scale, mealy bugs and, possibly, thrips. A very common additional insect pest may be present: spider mites.
Once you have identified the pest(s), thoroughly wash your plant in room temperature tap water. The article, Managing insects on indoor plants, provides a wealth of information on insect pest management. Avoid using soap products other than Insecticidal Soaps for Plants but as mentioned in this article, certain plants are sensitive to even this type of soap – test as per article directions. Disinfect all tools and wash your hands after handling plants to prevent the spread of pests to other plants.
Of the possible insect pests, scale is perhaps the most difficult to control. Please see Scale Insects for more detailed information on control of this pest. Due to the life cycle of various insects, a consistent schedule in using regular pest management strategies is key. Keep in mind too, that some spend part of their life cycle in the soil so soil treatment is likely necessary.
For further information please see: Controlling Scale Insects and Mealybugs and Problems Common to Many Indoor Plants
Wishing you every success in rescuing your palm plant.