scale on Bromeliads
Quick answer
If your Bromeliads has scale, the most likely cause is: Scale insects are small armor-shelled sap suckers that attach themselves to bromeliad stems and suck plant juices; they cling almost exclusively to stems at the lower part of a plant and, while not as persistent as mealybugs, still cause leaf and stem damage on infested bromeliads.
Start here:
- 1. Locate scales by inspecting the lower stems and leaf axils with a magnifying glass, because most insects lurk in those hidden areas on bromeliads.
- 2. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth dipped in plain water to eliminate any insect eggs before they hatch, and follow up with a strong water spray at the sink to dislodge remaining scales.
Why Bromeliads gets scale
Bromeliaceae
Scale insects are small armor-shelled sap suckers that attach themselves to bromeliad stems and suck plant juices; they cling almost exclusively to stems at the lower part of a plant and, while not as persistent as mealybugs, still cause leaf and stem damage on infested bromeliads.
How to reverse scale on Bromeliads
- 1
Locate scales by inspecting the lower stems and leaf axils with a magnifying glass, because most insects lurk in those hidden areas on bromeliads.
- 2
Wipe leaves with a damp cloth dipped in plain water to eliminate any insect eggs before they hatch, and follow up with a strong water spray at the sink to dislodge remaining scales.
- 3
Steep old tobacco from cigarettes in water for several days to make a solution that will get rid of scale, repeating the application every third day until the infestation clears.
Keep scale off this Bromeliads
Before hot summer weather sets in, wash bromeliads at the sink with a strong spray of water, gently massaging the leaf axils and wiping the leaves so they are shiny and free of soot, dust, and any spores that might harbor scale insects.