Pest identification
What's eating my dracaena?
Spider mites
Signs: Pale, finely stippled leaf surfaces; yellow-brown patches spreading from leaf tips; fine webbing near new growth.
Control: Wipe leaves with a damp cloth, raise humidity, and spray neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly for a month.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony tufts hidden in the leaf axils and along the central cane; stunted new growth.
Control: Dab alcohol on individual mealybugs, spray neem oil solution across the whole plant and soil surface; repeat after 7–10 days.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard brown bumps on stems and canes, sticky honeydew drip, and yellowing lower leaves.
Control: Scrape off with a soft brush; apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray and repeat in 14 days.
Keep dracaena pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Dracaena pests — FAQ
What is eating my dracaena?
Dracaena (corn plant and marginata) are most commonly hit by spider mites indoors, especially in dry, centrally heated rooms. Mealybugs settle in leaf sheaths; scale appears on canes. Fluoride-sensitive varieties can look pest-damaged from tap water — confirm it is a true infestation before treating.
How do I get rid of spider mites on dracaena?
Pale, finely stippled leaf surfaces; yellow-brown patches spreading from leaf tips; fine webbing near new growth. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth, raise humidity, and spray neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly for a month.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on dracaena?
White cottony tufts hidden in the leaf axils and along the central cane; stunted new growth. Dab alcohol on individual mealybugs, spray neem oil solution across the whole plant and soil surface; repeat after 7–10 days.
How do I get rid of scale insects on dracaena?
Hard brown bumps on stems and canes, sticky honeydew drip, and yellowing lower leaves. Scrape off with a soft brush; apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray and repeat in 14 days.