white lint like substance on windmill palms leaves

Question

I bought some windmill palms recently and I put them in large pots for their first year before I transplant them to my yard, in CT. I started noticing a white lint-like substance on the leaves (fronds). When I wipe the lint off the leaves, there is a yellow spot on the leaves where the white was. I heard that they could be mealy bugs. I don’t see anything living on the plant, just the white stuff. The dots are very small right now.

I heard that the mealy bugs can be eradicated by spraying a mixture of alcohol and water with a tiny bit of dish soap on the leaves. Does anyone know about this plant disease and cure?

Answer 1

It is mealybugs or palm scale. Neem oil is a good treatment. These articles should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/scale-bug-how-to-control-plant-scale.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/palms/sticky-palm-tree-leaves-treatment-for-palm-scale.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mealybugs-white-residue-on-plants-leaves.htm