What's eating my lauterbach's fan palm?

Lauterbach's Fan Palm (Licuala lauterbachii), a rainforest species from New Guinea, is most at risk from scale insects and spider mites in cultivation. Mealybugs can establish in the crown in greenhouse conditions. In outdoor tropical settings, slugs and snails may damage juvenile fronds, especially in the wet season.

Waxy bumps on petioles and frond ribs; yellowing and wilting of fan fronds; honeydew and sooty mold Horticultural oil spray applied thoroughly to all surfaces; hand-removal of heavy colonies; repeat every 2 weeks

Pale speckling and bronzing of leaflet segments; fine webbing on frond undersides in warm, dry spells Increase humidity via misting or placing on a pebble tray with water; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly

White cottony wax at frond bases and in the crown; distorted new growth; reduced overall vigor Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil or spinosad spray to the crown; isolate affected plants indoors

Ragged, chewed holes on young fronds and seedlings near the soil surface, worst in wet conditions Iron phosphate pellets around the base; hand-pick at night; reduce ground-level moisture and debris