Like other plants, the otherwise quite robust yucca palm can of course suffer from various diseases or be attacked by pests. The pathogens or the little animals usually come from a new houseplant that has already brought it with it and is now happily distributing it to the plant neighbors. For this reason, new acquisitions should always be quarantined first.
Lice are usually found behind sticky leaves
Sticky leaves are usually caused by plant lice
If you notice sticky spots on the leaves of your otherwise healthy yucca - sometimes the shoots can also be affected - these are usually plant lice such as aphids, scale insects or mealybugs. These usually sit on the undersides of the leaves and suck out the sap of the plant. What ultimately leads to the sticky leaves is the animal's excrement called "honeydew." This sweetish goo not only sticks to the leaves but can even drip onto the ground, leaving hard-to-remove spots. By the way: Honeydew attracts other vermin such as ants or pathogens such as fungi (especially sooty mold!) and should therefore be removed as soon as possible.
Detect scale and other plant lice
It's scale insects if you can see tiny, greenish to brown "eggs" on the yucca leaves. The larvae of the animals are in these cocoons. Mealybugs, on the other hand, attract attention with white, cotton-like tufts that suddenly spread across the plant. Aphids, on the other hand, can be colored very differently depending on the species and are usually noticeable by black, brown or green dots.
Effectively combat plant lice
If the infestation has not progressed too far, washing off the affected leaves with a little water to which you have added a few drops of washing-up liquid and rapeseed oil is sufficient. Rub boldly to remove the stubborn lice and their larvae. Unfortunately, not all malware is caught the first time, which is why the procedure should be repeated every few days. In the case of a severe infestation, however, only scissors and the use of pesticides usually help.
Prevent plant lice infestation
Fresh air with sufficient humidity keeps the pests away. Therefore, place the yucca outside in the summer and otherwise spray it from time to time with warm water from a sprayer.
tips
In the case of scale or mealybugs, spraying with cold coffee is often successful.