Pest identification
What's eating my gum palm?
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft waxy bumps on fronds; yellowing leaves and sticky honeydew leading to sooty mold
Control: Scrub off manually with alcohol-dipped brush; treat with horticultural oil or neem oil spray every 2 weeks
Mealybugs
Signs: White woolly masses at frond bases and in the crown; weakened, slow new growth
Control: Remove with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs; follow with neem oil soil drench and foliar spray
Fungus gnats
Signs: Adult gnats hover around soil; larvae chew fine roots, stalling growth especially in seedlings
Control: Allow soil to dry out between waterings; apply Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) drench; use sticky yellow traps for adults
Keep gum palm pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Gum Palm pests — FAQ
What is eating my gum palm?
Dioon spinulosum grown as a houseplant faces the same indoor pest pressures as related cycads. Scale insects are the chief threat, encrusting stiff fronds and sapping vigor. Mealybugs lurk in the crown and leaf bases. Fungus gnats may appear if the soil stays too wet between waterings.
How do I get rid of scale insects on gum palm?
Hard or soft waxy bumps on fronds; yellowing leaves and sticky honeydew leading to sooty mold Scrub off manually with alcohol-dipped brush; treat with horticultural oil or neem oil spray every 2 weeks
How do I get rid of mealybugs on gum palm?
White woolly masses at frond bases and in the crown; weakened, slow new growth Remove with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs; follow with neem oil soil drench and foliar spray
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on gum palm?
Adult gnats hover around soil; larvae chew fine roots, stalling growth especially in seedlings Allow soil to dry out between waterings; apply Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) drench; use sticky yellow traps for adults