What's eating my cameroon cycad?

Cameroon Cycad (Encephalartos tegulaneus) in cultivation is most commonly attacked by armored scale insects, which coat fronds with white crusts and trigger progressive yellowing. Mealybugs are a secondary pest, particularly in greenhouse collections. Seed weevils can significantly reduce seed viability. Prompt oil treatments and quarantine protocols for new acquisitions are the key defenses.

Dense white or grey-brown scale encrustation on fronds and caudex; yellowing, frond browning, and eventual collapse in severe infestations Rinse plant with water first; spray petroleum-based horticultural oil weekly for 4 weeks; consider systemic drench for heavy or recurrent cases

White waxy colonies in crown crevices and along midribs; honeydew deposits with sooty mold; stunted new growth Remove manually with alcohol; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 7–10 days

Larvae tunnel into seeds within female cones, destroying them from inside; can eliminate an entire seed crop undetected Monitor cones regularly; remove and destroy infested seeds; apply preventive systemic insecticide at cone emergence