What's eating my soft tree fern?

Soft Tree Fern grown indoors or in a sheltered greenhouse is most troubled by scale insects and mealybugs, which shelter in the fibrous trunk and frond bases. Spider mites flare in dry conditions. The fibrous trunk can also harbor fungus gnats if kept too wet. Inspect the trunk carefully — pests hide in trunk fibers.

Brown waxy lumps on frond undersides and along the fibrous trunk; sticky honeydew; frond yellowing Use a soft brush and soapy water to clean the trunk; spray fronds with neem oil or horticultural oil; repeat every two weeks

White cottony deposits deep in the crown and at frond junctions; stunted growth Apply isopropyl alcohol with cotton swabs into crevices; treat with insecticidal soap spray; repeat weekly

Tiny flies around the soil and moist trunk base; larvae damage fine roots near the surface Allow the growing medium to partially dry between waterings; use sticky yellow traps; apply Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) drench to the root zone

Pale stippled fronds with fine webbing on undersides in heated, dry rooms Mist the trunk and fronds regularly; shower the plant; apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray