Content
- Gallmilbs on Yucca easily confused with mildew
- Detect gall mites
- Fight gall mites successfully
- Often only a radical pruning helps
- Tips
It is not recommended to use chemical pesticides
Gallmilbs on Yucca easily confused with mildew
Like any other (indoor) plant, the popular yucca - which is often mistakenly known as the yucca "palm" - is occasionally haunted by pests. There are not only spider mites and various plant lice, but also so-called gall mites are very attractive. Infestation with these tiny pests is difficult to detect because the animals do not bile on yuccas.
Detect gall mites
Instead, the damage pattern is very similar to a mildew attack. Leaves and shoots are covered with a whitish layer, so that many a plant friend first thinks of a fungal disease and takes appropriate countermeasures - which of course do not fruit, after all, it is pests. Gall mites are tiny and can be found on many plants, especially on woody plants. Typical is the training of the so-called galls, which are completely missing on Yuccas.
Fight gall mites successfully
Gall mite infestation leads to deformities and discoloration of the plant in question, whereby the damage is mostly of a visual nature and has little adverse effect on the host plant - unless a fungus is added as a result of the mite infestation. These can be found in the numerous tiny pricks in the leaves of the yucca welcome entry portals. If they are detected in time, gall mites can be combated very well with pesticide-based or rapeseed-based pesticides. However, it is important to act quickly so that the damage does not get too big. Who wants to play it safe: Sulfur-containing pesticides usually also help against mildew.
Often only a radical pruning helps
Gall mites are hard to detect and have therefore often already caused severe damage to the leaves of the yucca. These look visually unattractive, but will, once affected, no longer regenerate. In such a case, only a pruning helps, even if it must be radical. Fortunately, Yuccas usually tolerate such a measure very well and even drive out if you have left only a part of the tribe.
Tips
If you want to cut back the affected Yucca, apply a tree resin on larger cut surfaces. Smaller ones can be sprinkled with cinnamon or charcoal powder and disinfected.