Pest identification
What's eating my ficus altissima 'yellow gem'?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine yellow stippling and webbing on leaf undersides; leaves pale and drop in severe cases
Control: Shower the plant, raise humidity, and spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly until infestation clears
Scale insects
Signs: Hard brown shells on stems and midribs; copious honeydew leads to black sooty mold
Control: Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil thoroughly to stems; repeat every 10–14 days for 3 cycles
Mealybugs
Signs: Cottony white deposits at petioles and stem joints; distorted new growth
Control: Remove with alcohol swab; spray with neem oil and ensure soil is not overwatered (wet soil favours root mealybugs)
Keep ficus altissima 'yellow gem' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Ficus Altissima 'Yellow Gem' pests — FAQ
What is eating my ficus altissima 'yellow gem'?
Ficus Altissima 'Yellow Gem' is susceptible to the same indoor pests as other large-leaf Ficus: spider mites, scale, and mealybugs are the most common. Its large, waxy leaves often develop sooty mold from scale honeydew. Wipe leaves monthly and keep humidity adequate to stay ahead of mites.
How do I get rid of spider mites on ficus altissima 'yellow gem'?
Fine yellow stippling and webbing on leaf undersides; leaves pale and drop in severe cases Shower the plant, raise humidity, and spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly until infestation clears
How do I get rid of scale insects on ficus altissima 'yellow gem'?
Hard brown shells on stems and midribs; copious honeydew leads to black sooty mold Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil thoroughly to stems; repeat every 10–14 days for 3 cycles
How do I get rid of mealybugs on ficus altissima 'yellow gem'?
Cottony white deposits at petioles and stem joints; distorted new growth Remove with alcohol swab; spray with neem oil and ensure soil is not overwatered (wet soil favours root mealybugs)