Pest identification
What's eating my triangle palm?
Spider mites
Signs: Yellow stippling and bronzing of leaflets, fine webbing at leaflet bases, premature yellowing of entire fronds in severe cases.
Control: Increase humidity and rinse fronds regularly. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray every 7–10 days for three cycles; ensure good coverage on leaflet undersides where mites concentrate.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard oval bumps on the trunk, petioles, and frond midribs; sticky honeydew on lower fronds; sooty mold in humid conditions.
Control: Scrub affected surfaces with a soft brush and isopropyl alcohol. Apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray across the trunk and fronds. Repeat every three to four weeks.
Mealybugs
Signs: White mealy deposits at petiole bases and crown; honeydew on surrounding surfaces; slow, weakened growth.
Control: Dab colonies with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs. Follow with a full neem oil spray including the crown area. Repeat treatment every 10 days until the plant is pest-free.
Keep triangle palm pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Triangle palm pests — FAQ
What is eating my triangle palm?
Triangle Palm (Dypsis decaryi) grown indoors or in a warm conservatory is most commonly attacked by spider mites, which thrive in dry heated air and cause the distinctive tri-ranked fronds to turn yellow and stippled. Scale insects also colonise the trunk and petioles. Maintaining adequate humidity and airflow minimises risk significantly.
How do I get rid of spider mites on triangle palm?
Yellow stippling and bronzing of leaflets, fine webbing at leaflet bases, premature yellowing of entire fronds in severe cases. Increase humidity and rinse fronds regularly. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray every 7–10 days for three cycles; ensure good coverage on leaflet undersides where mites concentrate.
How do I get rid of scale insects on triangle palm?
Hard oval bumps on the trunk, petioles, and frond midribs; sticky honeydew on lower fronds; sooty mold in humid conditions. Scrub affected surfaces with a soft brush and isopropyl alcohol. Apply horticultural oil or neem oil spray across the trunk and fronds. Repeat every three to four weeks.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on triangle palm?
White mealy deposits at petiole bases and crown; honeydew on surrounding surfaces; slow, weakened growth. Dab colonies with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs. Follow with a full neem oil spray including the crown area. Repeat treatment every 10 days until the plant is pest-free.