Amazon elephant’s ear plants (alocasia) are known for their huge tropical-looking leaves. But these striking plants can fall victim to scale insects which latch onto the leaves and stems and suck out plant juices. An infestation of these tiny pests can seriously impact your elephant ear’s health. Luckily, with some diligent care you can get rid of scales on your plant for good.
What are Scale Insects?
Scales are a common greenhouse and indoor plant pest. These tiny, oval shaped insects affix themselves to stems and the undersides of leaves. There are two main types of scale:
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Armored scale: These have a hard, protective coating and cannot be removed by brushing or washing off.
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Soft scale: These scales secrete a waxy film but can be removed with forceful water or brushing.
Scale insects use piercing mouthparts to feed on plant sap. An infestation can stunt growth, cause leaf yellowing, and even kill the plant if left uncontrolled. In addition, scales secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that can promote mold growth.
Signs of a Scale Infestation
It’s important to identify scale early Watch for these signs
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Tiny bumps or lumps on stems and leaves
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Sticky honeydew on leaves or nearby surfaces
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Yellow spots or stunted growth
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Ants crawling on the plant (attracted to honeydew)
Check undersides of leaves closely with a magnifying glass. Scrape scales off gently with your nail to confirm. Catching them early makes treatment easier.
Methods to Eliminate Scales
If you discover a scale infestation on your elephant ear plant, take action promptly with these approaches:
Manual Removal
For soft scales, use a soft toothbrush, cotton swab or gentle stream of water to scrub them off. Check weekly and repeat removal since scales can reproduce rapidly. This is less effective for armored scales.
Prune Heavily Infested Areas
Prune off any heavily infested stems or leaves, taking care not to damage growth points. This removes populations and slows spread.
Use Neem Oil
Neem oil smothers scales and interferes with their growth cycle. Mix as directed and spray all plant surfaces, especially the undersides of leaves. Repeat application every 7-14 days until scale is gone.
Apply Horticultural Oils
These oils coat scales, blocking them from breathing and feeding. Test on a small area first for plant sensitivity. Thoroughly coat all stems and leaves per product instructions.
Release Beneficial Insects
Ladybugs, lacewings and parasitic wasps feed on scales. Releasing them or attracting naturally occurring populations can help control infestations.
Isolate Infected Plants
Separate heavily infected plants to avoid spread. Throw out plants that cannot be saved to eliminate scales from your home.
Adjust Care Practices
Stressed, weakened plants attract more pests. Ensure your elephant ear gets proper light, water, nutrients and humidity.
Prevent the Pests from Returning
Once you get rid of your scale problem, keep them away with these proactive measures:
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Check new plants closely for signs of scales before bringing home
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Remove and destroy any severely infected plants
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Keep plants spaced for airflow and regularly prune dense growth
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Use neem oil or horticultural oil sprays preventively
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Release beneficial insects like ladybugs to patrol for pests
With some determination and consistent care, you can remove damaging scale insects from your beautiful elephant ear plant. Pay close attention for early signs and take prompt action at the first sight of scales. Combining methods will help ensure you successfully eliminate these pesky pests from your plant.
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Why are the leaf tips on my Alocasia browning?
Leaves turning brown just on the edges or tips. These edges may gradually change from yellow to brown, crispy, and possibly a bit curled.
Browning just on the edges of tips is usually a reaction to low humidity. Since many of our houseplants have tropical origins, they also thrive in humid conditions. Our average indoor humidity is usually adequate, but some plants are simply more sensitive to changes in humidity than others. You may notice this more acutely when conditions are particularly dryâlike when you turn on the heater in winter.
Try to accommodate your plants needs by locating them in more naturally humid places, like the bathroom or kitchen, or grouping a bunch of humidity-loving plants together. But the only way to truly guarantee increased humidity is to get a humidifier!
Once youve addressed the problem: If the brown tips bother you, you can trim them back. Do your best to follow the shape of the leaf to help them look natural. Also, try to cut just short of the discolored edge so it doesnât expand.
Why is my Alocasia dropping leaves?
Leaves dropping in droves! Most or all leaves have suddenly died off.
Alocasia are known to go into dormancy when theyre receiving insufficient light and temperatures drop suddenly or significantly (like winter). Dormancy means the plant wants to conserve energy while it awaits better conditions, so they may drop most or all their leaves. But dormant doesnt mean dead!
While it can be shocking to see a plant drop all their leaves, dont despair. Continue caring for your plant by keeping it in a brighter, warmer spot, reduce your watering, and wait for spring! You should see new leaves sprouting and a speedy return to their former glory. Sadly, you cant prevent winter, but as the season approaches you may be able to avoid dormancy by moving your plant to a slightly warmer and brighter spot to counteract the sudden change.
TIPS FOR GROWING ELEPHANT EARS IN POTS
How do you prune Alocasia elephant ear?
The Alocasia elephant ear plant has few pruning requirements. Typically, the only reason to prune Alocasia foliage is to remove damaged, decaying, or dead leaves. The plant stems grow directly from tuberous roots. To prune Alocasia plants, snip off the leaf stems near the soil line.
How do you propagate Alocasia elephant ear?
Propagate the Alocasia elephant ear plant by dividing the roots. The tuberous roots grow small offsets that are easy to separate from the ‘mother’ plant. You can plant these ‘babies’ directly into fresh soil to grow new plants. To propagate African mask plants, gently remove the root ball from the container. Clean excess dirt from the rhizome.
How do you kill elephant ear?
The proper herbicide for elephant ear will be an all-purpose type. Spray all the aerial parts of the plant thoroughly with the herbicide, then give it time to start working. The foliage and stems will die back as the herbicide works its way down into the tuber. Once the foliage has died back, start digging up the tubers.
How do you care for Alocasia elephant ear?
The best way to care for the Alocasia elephant ear plant is to avoid temperature extremes. In summer, keep the Alocasia pot out of cold airflow from AC units or drafts from doors or windows. In winter, avoid placing the plant pot near hot air vents or radiators. Alocasia Amazonica needs at least 50 percent humidity to grow well indoors.