Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Hot Pink White Cottony Spots - Causes & Fixes

Jump to cause: Mealybugs Powdery Mildew Cottony Blight (Sclerotinia)

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Mealybugs

These small, soft-bodied insects secrete a white, waxy, cotton-like substance to protect themselves as they feed on the sap of your Kalanchoe. They tend to congregate in the crevices of leaf axils and under the fleshy leaves.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Inspect the undersides of leaves and leaf junctions for tiny moving white insects or sticky residue.

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

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

3 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the entire plant, ensuring you coat the undersides of leaves and all crevices to kill remaining insects and larvae.

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Powdery Mildew

This fungal disease manifests as a white, flour-like coating on the surface of the foliage. It thrives in high humidity and poor air circulation around the dense Kalanchoe leaves.

Common

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How to confirm: Check if the white spots look like a fine dust that can be wiped off with your finger rather than thick clumps.

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1 Apply an organic fungicide to the affected leaves to eliminate the powdery mildew spores and prevent further spread.

Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$12

In Stock

2 Improve air circulation around the plant and reduce humidity by spacing it away from other dense foliage.

3 Prune and dispose of any heavily infected leaves to prevent the fungus from spreading to healthy parts of the Kalanchoe.

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Cutting Tools

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Cottony Blight (Sclerotinia)

While less common in houseplants, certain fungal pathogens can cause white, fuzzy mycelium to appear on the stem or leaf bases of succulents. This often leads to rapid tissue softening and rot.

Common

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How to confirm: Check if the area under the white spots feels soft, mushy, or water-soaked.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Immediately prune away any stems or leaves showing white, fuzzy growth and dispose of them outside to prevent the fungus from spreading to healthy tissue.

2 Apply an organic fungicide to the affected area and surrounding healthy foliage to combat the fungal pathogen.

Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$12

In Stock

3 Improve air circulation around the plant and reduce humidity to create an environment less conducive to fungal growth.