Mealybugs on Chinese Evergreen — White Colonies in the Growing Crown
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum (and related cultivars))
Symptoms
- white cottony or waxy material visible in the growing crown or where leaves attach to the stem
- white powder on the petiole bases near the soil
- sticky honeydew on the upper leaf surfaces
- individual leaves yellowing near their base while the rest of the plant looks healthy
- black sooty mold on honeydew deposits
Causes
Planococcus citri colonizing growing points
Chinese Evergreen's dense growth habit — with new leaves tightly packed in the crown — provides ideal mealybug habitat. The growing point is warm and sheltered from air, light, and physical disruption, allowing colonies to establish and grow before they become externally visible. Mealybugs in the growing crown also have direct access to the phloem tissue of emerging leaves, which are more tender and easily damaged than mature leaves. A severe infestation in the crown can prevent new leaf emergence or cause new leaves to emerge already yellowed or deformed.
How to Fix It
- 1
Isolate from other houseplants.
- 2
Shine a flashlight into the growing crown while gently separating the tightly packed new leaves, then touch a swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol directly to every white mass you find — the alcohol dissolves the waxy coating on contact and kills the insect underneath it.
- 3
Check all leaf axils along the stem — the sheltered zone where each petiole attaches to the stem is a secondary hiding location. Treat any colonies found.
- 4
Mix 2 teaspoons of neem oil per quart of water with a drop of emulsifying dish soap and coat the whole plant, working the spray down into the packed crown where the swab couldn't fully reach; a weekly repeat for 4–6 weeks catches the crawlers that keep hatching from eggs tucked deep in the new growth.
- 5
Monitor the crown for re-emergence weekly. Mealybug eggs survive the initial treatment and hatch as crawlers 1–2 weeks after treatment. The repeat neem treatments are essential for eliminating successive generations.
Prevention
- Inspect the growing crown monthly — part leaves and use a flashlight
- Hold any newly purchased plant apart from the rest of the collection for 3 weeks before it joins the group
- Give the crown a light preventive neem spray once a month through the warmer growing season
Quick Summary
| Plant | Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum (and related cultivars)) |
|---|---|
| Category | Pests |
| Likely causes | Planococcus citri colonizing growing points |
| Fix steps | 5 steps — see above |