Kalanchoe Rosalina Don Geraldo White Cottony Spots - Causes & Fixes

Jump to cause: Mealybugs Powdery Mildew Cottony Scale

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Mealybugs

These small, soft-bodied insects secrete a white, waxy, cottony substance to protect themselves and the plant. They feed on the sap of Kalanchoe succulents, often clustering in the crevices between leaves or near new growth.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to dab the spots; if they dissolve and turn brown, it is mealybugs.

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

2 Treat the infestation by spraying the plant with an organic insecticide or neem oil to kill the insects and remove the waxy coating.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

3 Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to manually remove visible white cottony clusters from leaf crevices and new growth.

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Powdery Mildew

This fungal disease manifests as white, flour-like patches on the leaf surfaces. It thrives in Kalanchoe plants kept in high humidity with poor air circulation around the foliage.

Common

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How to confirm: Check if the white spots look more like a thin dust coating that can be rubbed off rather than distinct cottony clumps.

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1 Apply an organic fungicide to eliminate existing fungal spores and prevent the spread of the mildew.

Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$12

In Stock

2 Improve air circulation around the foliage and reduce humidity to make the environment less hospitable for powdery mildew.

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

Fiskars 5/8" Bypass Pruning Shears

Cutting Tools

$13

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Cottony Scale

Certain types of scale insects produce a white, filamentous covering that resembles cotton. These pests attach to the stems and undersides of Kalanchoe leaves to suck nutrients from the plant's vascular system.

Common

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How to confirm: Inspect the stems for small, hard bumps underneath the white fuzz.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Treat the plant with an organic insecticide/miticide spray to eliminate the scale insects and their white coverings.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

2 Manually remove visible cottony clusters using a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to prevent further spread.

3 Isolate the affected Kalanchoe from other houseplants to stop the pests from migrating to healthy plants.