beecrofter wrote in news:1190909497.684656.307520@
19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com:

On Sep 26, 3:45 pm, Digger wrote:
Fellow Plant Lovers,
A frightening thing is happening to my Jade tree. It has a white,
sticky substance popping up all over it, which proceeds to eat away at
leaves until they rot off. It leaves only a stump of a stem when it's
done, and eats whatever new leaves try to grow.
It usually first appears at joints, where the leaves start from the
stem. Sometimes spots appear on leaves or at their edges. When I try
to wipe off the larger patches, white filaments like spider webs will
pull away.
I had the impression that it's some kind of fungus and have used
various fungicides like tea tree oil and nystatin ointment, to no
avail. Full strength tea tree oil works, but that kills the leaves
too. But nystatin doesn't faze it.
None of my other house plans are affected.
Anyone seen this before? Any idea what to do about it?
Thanks for any enlightenment,
Les

Most likely sticky substance is insect waste, homoptera types, mealy
bugs aphids etc. Webbing suggests spider mites. Shake over white
paper and you can see them. My wager is on mealy bugs. In any case
repeat treatments of your choice will be required.


Mealy bugs LOVE jade plants. Get a Q-tip soaked in alcohol and touch one
of the white spots with it. Now look at the Q-tip. Is there a little
dark bug stuck to the cotton? If so, that's a mealy bug and the white
stuff was its hiding place that dissolves in alcohol. You can go all
through the whole plant killing them like that. It takes a while but it
works. Do it every day for a week or so and you'll have things under
control.