Bird of Paradise Houseplant

My Bird of Paradise keeps getting a sticky substance on the leaves. What is it? Do I harm the plant if I wash it off? What would you recommend if it is ok to wash it off?

1 Comment (Open | Close)

1 Comment To "Bird of Paradise Houseplant"

#1 Comment By Alisma On 01/25/2017 @ 4:57 pm

The sticky substance could be honeydew, which is a secretion of small plant-feeding insects such as aphids and scale bugs:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-honeydew.htm ^[1]

Check the plant (and surrounding houseplants) for any insects. The best way to get rid of honeydew is to control the insect pests- you can find information on control options by following the links in the article above. Washing the plant is fine, and it might knock off some of the pests too.

Article printed from Gardening Know How Questions & Answers: https://questions.gardeningknowhow.com

URL to article: https://questions.gardeningknowhow.com/bird-of-paradise-houseplant/

URLs in this post:

[1] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-honeydew.htm: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-honeydew.htm

Have any questions about this topic? Visit us at https://questions.gardeningknowhow.com to ask your questions and get friendly answers from gardening experts.

You can also find us at:
'Like' us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gardeningknowhow
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gardenknowhow - @gardenknowhow
Follow us on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/gardenknowhow/