Pest identification
What's eating my white ixora?
Scale insects
Signs: Brown or tan waxy bumps on stems and leaf undersides; honeydew drip leads to black sooty mold coating foliage.
Control: Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to kill individuals; follow with weekly horticultural oil sprays for 4–5 weeks.
Aphids
Signs: Clusters of soft insects on new growth cause curled, distorted shoot tips and sticky honeydew deposits.
Control: Dislodge with a firm jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray, repeating every 5–7 days.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony wax in stem joints and leaf axils; leaves yellow and plant vigour declines.
Control: Remove visible colonies with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab; drench with neem oil solution weekly until clear.
Keep white ixora pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
White Ixora pests — FAQ
What is eating my white ixora?
White Ixora is targeted by aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs — all sap-suckers that trigger sooty mold on foliage. Scale is the most persistent threat. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, blast aphids off with a hose, and remove scale manually with rubbing alcohol before following up with horticultural oil.
How do I get rid of scale insects on white ixora?
Brown or tan waxy bumps on stems and leaf undersides; honeydew drip leads to black sooty mold coating foliage. Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to kill individuals; follow with weekly horticultural oil sprays for 4–5 weeks.
How do I get rid of aphids on white ixora?
Clusters of soft insects on new growth cause curled, distorted shoot tips and sticky honeydew deposits. Dislodge with a firm jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray, repeating every 5–7 days.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on white ixora?
White cottony wax in stem joints and leaf axils; leaves yellow and plant vigour declines. Remove visible colonies with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab; drench with neem oil solution weekly until clear.