What's eating my waterberg cycad?

Waterberg Cycad (Encephalartos eugene-maraisii) faces its greatest threat from cycad aulacaspis scale when grown in warm climates or indoors. Mealybugs colonise the crown and leaf bases, and spider mites cause bronzing in dry indoor conditions. As a rare cycad, early pest detection is critical to protect irreplaceable specimens.

Dense white scale armour on fronds, stems, and roots; yellowing and dieback of leaves; can be fatal if untreated Horticultural oil sprays repeated every 10–14 days; systemic imidacloprid drench; manual removal of infested material

White waxy clusters at crown and petiole bases; honeydew deposits leading to sooty mold Alcohol swabs on visible colonies; neem oil or insecticidal soap spray; repeat every 7 days for 3–4 cycles

Brown dome-shaped bumps on stems and leaf midribs; general vigour decline and yellowing Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil; use systemic insecticide for persistent infestations