scale on Ficus Benghalensis
Quick answer
If your Ficus Benghalensis has scale, the most likely cause is: Scale insects settle on the bark, stems, and undersides of leaves of an indoor Ficus benghalensis and lock onto one spot to suck the sap; the protected, shell-like covering makes them hard to reach with sprays, and a sustained infestation drains the plant so the branches begin to droop, the leaves wilt, and a black sooty mould grows on the honeydew they secrete.
Start here:
- 1. Hand-pick individual scale insects off the stems and leaves of the Audrey with a soft toothbrush or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, repeating every few days until the waxy bumps are gone.
- 2. Smother remaining crawlers by spraying the whole canopy with a horticultural or paraffinic oil such as SK Eco Oil, which coats the scale and starves it of air; cover the soil surface before spraying and keep the plant out of direct sun while the oil dries.
Why Ficus Benghalensis gets scale
ficus benghalensis
Scale insects settle on the bark, stems, and undersides of leaves of an indoor Ficus benghalensis and lock onto one spot to suck the sap; the protected, shell-like covering makes them hard to reach with sprays, and a sustained infestation drains the plant so the branches begin to droop, the leaves wilt, and a black sooty mould grows on the honeydew they secrete.
How to reverse scale on Ficus Benghalensis
- 1
Hand-pick individual scale insects off the stems and leaves of the Audrey with a soft toothbrush or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, repeating every few days until the waxy bumps are gone.
- 2
Smother remaining crawlers by spraying the whole canopy with a horticultural or paraffinic oil such as SK Eco Oil, which coats the scale and starves it of air; cover the soil surface before spraying and keep the plant out of direct sun while the oil dries.
- 3
If chemical control is needed, apply a systemic insecticide labelled for indoor ornamentals to the potting mix so the plant takes it up and kills scale as it feeds, then isolate the Audrey from other houseplants until the infestation is fully cleared.
Keep scale off this Ficus Benghalensis
Inspect the bark and leaf undersides of an Audrey Ficus benghalensis every time you water, isolate any new plant for at least a couple of weeks before mixing it with the rest of the collection, and wipe the leaves periodically with a damp cloth so the sticky honeydew and the early crawlers do not have a chance to establish a settled colony.