mealybugs on Philodendron Sellum
Quick answer
If your Philodendron Sellum has mealybugs, the most likely cause is: Philodendron sellum (horsehead philodendron, Philodendron bipinnatifidum) is prone to mealybug colonies on the undersides of its large, broad leaves; these slow-moving, white, fluff-coated insects cluster along the leaf underside and in the joints where the petiole meets the stem, sucking sap and excreting sticky honeydew that is then colonised by sooty mould and leads to yellowing leaves, leaf fall, and wilting.
Start here:
- 1. Wipe the mealybugs off the leaves, stems, and leaf joints using a cotton bud or soft cloth soaked with insecticide, checking the leaf undersides carefully with a magnifying glass for any missed clusters.
- 2. Spray the whole plant — top and underside of every leaf — with an appropriate insecticide once a week for several weeks to break the mealybug life cycle, and isolate the plant from other houseplants so the infestation cannot spread.
Why Philodendron Sellum gets mealybugs
philodendron sellum
Philodendron sellum (horsehead philodendron, Philodendron bipinnatifidum) is prone to mealybug colonies on the undersides of its large, broad leaves; these slow-moving, white, fluff-coated insects cluster along the leaf underside and in the joints where the petiole meets the stem, sucking sap and excreting sticky honeydew that is then colonised by sooty mould and leads to yellowing leaves, leaf fall, and wilting.
How to reverse mealybugs on Philodendron Sellum
- 1
Wipe the mealybugs off the leaves, stems, and leaf joints using a cotton bud or soft cloth soaked with insecticide, checking the leaf undersides carefully with a magnifying glass for any missed clusters.
- 2
Spray the whole plant — top and underside of every leaf — with an appropriate insecticide once a week for several weeks to break the mealybug life cycle, and isolate the plant from other houseplants so the infestation cannot spread.
Keep mealybugs off this Philodendron Sellum
Inspect the undersides of the large philodendron leaves weekly with a magnifying glass during routine watering, keep new acquisitions quarantined away from the rest of the collection for several weeks, and maintain good airflow around the broad canopy so early infestations are spotted before the sticky honeydew and sooty mould develop.