Root Awakening: Jasmine plant may have whitefly infestation

Jasmine has pest problem, nutrient deficiency

There are jumping white insects on my jasmine plant and it has brown spots on its leaves. What is wrong and how do I get rid of the insects? I already spray the plant with neem oil.

Celestina Lee

Your jasmine plant may be infested with whiteflies, which are small white pests that fly away when disturbed. They are one of the most difficult pests to deal with.

If neem oil fails, there may be a need for faster-acting pesticides. Try natural pyrethrins or related chemical pesticides such as cypermethrin.

To reduce the likelihood of the pests developing resistance, rotate these with a pesticide that works in a different way, such as summer oil, which will suffocate the pests and is available for sale in local nurseries.

When applying the pesticide, wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

The brown spots could be due to injury caused by spraying neem oil. Such injuries are common when one is using oil-based pesticides, as these dissolve the waxy protective layer of the leaves.

The new leaves of the plant appear chlorotic – the veins are green, but the rest of the tissue is yellow. Your plant may lack trace elements such as iron.

Ensure that the soil is well-draining and that its pH level is not too acidic or alkaline. Also, feed your plant with fertilisers that contain the nutrients it needs for optimal growth.

Fiddle-leaf fig and orchids require good light to grow well

We are trying to grow plants outside our door, in an area which gets a little sunlight in the morning.

First, the Fiddle-leaf Fig we bought during Chinese New Year kept shedding leaves. Some leaves developed brown patches after we left the plant in a neighbour’s care over a long holiday. These leaves eventually died, leaving bare branches.

Second, the leaves of our orchids are turning yellow and falling. We moved the plants indoors, but that did not help.

Alex Foo

Your Fiddle-leaf Fig and dendrobium orchids are not doing well. The falling leaves and lack of growth are likely due to insufficient light.

The Fiddle-leaf Fig (botanical name: Ficus lyrata) needs at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. The orchids will need six hours of filtered sunlight.

Assess the lighting of your growing area and select plants that are more shade-tolerant.

White coating looks like scale infestation

What are the pests on this branch of my mulberry plant and how should I resolve this issue?

Adrian Ling

Your mulberry plant has likely been infested with scale insects. A closer examination of the pests under a microscope will be needed to confirm their identity.

Scales are common on perennial woody plants with long-lasting parts.

Use a soft toothbrush to remove as many pests as you can, then apply summer oil to suffocate them. Thorough and repeated coverage is essential for adequate pest control.

Dracaena needs more light

I water this indoor plant once a week and recently noticed little spots on the leaves. What is wrong?

Samantha Chng

Your Corn Plant (botanical name: Dracaena fragrans; it is also known locally as Iron Tree) does not thrive indoors. It is best grown under filtered sunlight for at least six hours a day, though it can be adapted to grow under direct sunlight, as seen in specimens in outdoor gardens. Move this plant to a brighter spot.

The spots on the leaves could be due to disease or injury, especially for plants grown indoors with low light and poor air circulation.

If you sprayed any chemical or fertiliser on the leaves, such substances can injure them and lead to the appearance of spots. When applying such substances on plants, follow the instructions on the product’s label and test it on a small part of the plant to see if there is an adverse reaction.

Plant is likely the Stripe-leaf Amaryllis

I bought this plant from a local nursery about a decade ago. Over the years, I have repotted it, changed its growing mix, varied its position and adjusted its exposure to sunlight, with mixed results. What plant is it and what are the optimal conditions for growth?

Yong Tet Joong

Your plant is likely the Stripe-leaf Amaryllis (botanical name: Hippeastrum reticulatum). It is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family and flowers seasonally, producing white blooms with pink stripes on the petals.

The plant grows well under direct sunlight. Under optimal light conditions, the leaves should be erect, not soft and floppy. Pot it in a well-draining mix, but not too deeply, as a buried crown will cause the plant to rot.