Calathea orbifolia White Cottony Spots - Causes & Fixes

Jump to cause: Mealybugs Cottony Scale Powdery Mildew

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Mealybugs

These sap-sucking insects produce a white, waxy, cottony secretion to protect themselves while feeding on the plant's juices. In Calathea orbifolia, they often hide in the leaf axils and the base of the large, round leaves.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to dab the spots; if the white substance dissolves and reveals small insects, it is mealybugs.

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1 Isolate the plant immediately to prevent the mealybugs from spreading to other houseplants.

2 Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to manually remove the visible white cottony masses from the leaf axils and stems.

3 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the entire plant, ensuring you coat the undersides of leaves and crevices where pests hide.

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Cottony Scale

Similar to mealybugs, scale insects can appear as white, puffy masses on the undersides of leaves or stems. They attach themselves firmly to the plant to feed on nutrients, which can lead to leaf yellowing in Calatheas.

Common

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How to confirm: Try to gently scrape the white spots with a fingernail to see if they are firmly attached to the stem or leaf surface.

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1 Isolate the plant immediately to prevent the scale insects from spreading to your other houseplants.

2 Gently wipe away the white cottony masses using a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to kill the insects on contact.

3 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the plant's foliage and stems to eliminate any remaining pests and larvae.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

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Powdery Mildew

This fungal pathogen manifests as a white, powdery coating on the leaf surfaces. It thrives in environments with high humidity but poor air circulation, which is common for Calathea orbifolia care.

Common

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How to confirm: Check if the white spots look like dust that can be wiped off easily and if there are any fuzzy patches on the leaf undersides.

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1 Treat the affected leaves immediately with an organic fungicide to stop the spread of the fungal spores.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

2 Improve air circulation around the plant by using a small fan and avoid overhead watering to keep foliage dry.

3 Prune and discard any heavily infected leaves to prevent the pathogen from spreading to healthy foliage.