Pest identification
What's eating my cork palm?
Scale insects
Signs: Armored scale on fronds and distinctive corky trunk; frond yellowing and sooty mold
Control: Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray; scrape scale manually from trunk with a soft brush before treating
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy clusters at the crown and leaf axils; honeydew and stunted new growth
Control: Isopropyl alcohol swabs; neem oil spray; systemic drench if infestation is deep in the crown
Thrips
Signs: Silver-streaked or scarred leaflets on emerging fronds; distorted new growth
Control: Spinosad spray on new growth; reflective mulch beneath the plant; remove and discard damaged fronds
Keep cork palm pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cork Palm pests — FAQ
What is eating my cork palm?
Cork Palm (Microcycas calocoma) is a critically endangered Cuban cycad. In cultivation it faces scale insects and mealybugs as the main pests. Thrips can scar emerging leaflets. Being an extremely rare collector's plant usually grown under controlled conditions, it escapes most outdoor animal pests, but overwatering-related root decline is as harmful as insects.
How do I get rid of scale insects on cork palm?
Armored scale on fronds and distinctive corky trunk; frond yellowing and sooty mold Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray; scrape scale manually from trunk with a soft brush before treating
How do I get rid of mealybugs on cork palm?
White waxy clusters at the crown and leaf axils; honeydew and stunted new growth Isopropyl alcohol swabs; neem oil spray; systemic drench if infestation is deep in the crown
How do I get rid of thrips on cork palm?
Silver-streaked or scarred leaflets on emerging fronds; distorted new growth Spinosad spray on new growth; reflective mulch beneath the plant; remove and discard damaged fronds