Pest identification
What's eating my pandan?
Scale insects
Signs: Small brown or white waxy shells stuck to leaves and stems; yellowing, reduced vigour, and sooty mould from honeydew.
Control: Scrub off with a soft cloth dipped in soapy water; treat with horticultural oil or neem oil, repeating every 2 weeks.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony fluff at leaf bases and in the central rosette; sap loss causes pale, stunted new leaves.
Control: Remove with an alcohol-dipped swab; spray the whole plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaf surfaces, most often when air is dry and warm.
Control: Increase ambient humidity, mist foliage, and apply neem oil or miticide spray; repeat weekly until clear.
Keep pandan pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pandan pests — FAQ
What is eating my pandan?
Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) is grown indoors or in tropical gardens and is most troubled by sap-sucking insects. Scale insects are the most common problem, attaching to long strap leaves and draining vigour. Mealybugs cluster in the leaf bases, and spider mites can colonise plants kept in low humidity. Inspect regularly along the leaf midrib.
How do I get rid of scale insects on pandan?
Small brown or white waxy shells stuck to leaves and stems; yellowing, reduced vigour, and sooty mould from honeydew. Scrub off with a soft cloth dipped in soapy water; treat with horticultural oil or neem oil, repeating every 2 weeks.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on pandan?
White cottony fluff at leaf bases and in the central rosette; sap loss causes pale, stunted new leaves. Remove with an alcohol-dipped swab; spray the whole plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
How do I get rid of spider mites on pandan?
Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaf surfaces, most often when air is dry and warm. Increase ambient humidity, mist foliage, and apply neem oil or miticide spray; repeat weekly until clear.