Pest identification
What's eating my spatulate dendrobium?
Scale insects
Signs: Hard brown bumps on canes and leaf midribs; leaves pale and honeydew accumulates beneath
Control: Scrape off with an old toothbrush and 70% isopropyl alcohol; treat with neem oil spray every 10 days
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy fluff in cane nodes and at leaf bases; stunted keiki development
Control: Apply isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swab directly to colonies; follow with a systemic insecticidal drench if severe
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes and silvery slime trails on emerging shoot tips and root tips (mainly when grown outdoors or on patios)
Control: Set out iron phosphate slug bait around the pot at dusk; move pots off the ground to reduce access
Keep spatulate dendrobium pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Spatulate Dendrobium pests — FAQ
What is eating my spatulate dendrobium?
Spatulate Dendrobium (Dendrobium kingianum) is a robust cool-growing orchid most at risk from scale insects. Mealybugs settle in cane nodes, and spider mites can appear in overheated indoor spots. Because it is often grown outdoors in mild climates, slugs may also chew roots and new shoots emerging from the pot.
How do I get rid of scale insects on spatulate dendrobium?
Hard brown bumps on canes and leaf midribs; leaves pale and honeydew accumulates beneath Scrape off with an old toothbrush and 70% isopropyl alcohol; treat with neem oil spray every 10 days
How do I get rid of mealybugs on spatulate dendrobium?
White waxy fluff in cane nodes and at leaf bases; stunted keiki development Apply isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swab directly to colonies; follow with a systemic insecticidal drench if severe
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on spatulate dendrobium?
Ragged holes and silvery slime trails on emerging shoot tips and root tips (mainly when grown outdoors or on patios) Set out iron phosphate slug bait around the pot at dusk; move pots off the ground to reduce access