What to do When Your Indoor Palm Has Sticky Leaves

Q. My indoor palm plant has developed a sticky-looking, shiny appearance on the leaves.  Also, small, 1/16" brown spots/bumps on the leaves and stems.  What is this?

Scale on palm leaf but unfortunately the plant also has spider mites
judging from the yellow speckled appearance of the leaf

A. This is probably one of the scale insects. It is living under this brown bump and sucking plant juices while totally protected by this bump or shell they build on top of themselves.

            This brown bump is what keeps them alive when pesticides are sprayed on the plant. BUT they are susceptible to poisons or insecticides that are taken up into the juices INSIDE the plant.

            So, systemic insecticides, those that are applied to the soil or sometimes sprayed on the leaves and taken up through the leaves, can be quite effective on these protected insects. Since it is a palm and you are not eating anything from it you can use these types of poisons on these plants.

            You will have to try to find one at a nursery or garden center that carries a systemic insecticide that has a label specifically for houseplants and controlling scale insects. The shiny stuff on the leaves is sticky since this is the sugary excrement of these scale insects falling on the leaves. Frequently it attracts ants.