"echinosum" wrote in message
...

'Spider[_2_ Wrote:
;856237']"Paul" wrote in message
...-
Sorry for not being able to offer an accurate description of the
problem but I'm a complete newbie at gardening. I'm posting another
question separately, too. I have a plant that looks a little
palm-tree-
ish and it appears to be growing fine. However it has a sticky
secretion on the underside of its leaves and I'd really like to know
what it is.

The whole plant: http://tinyurl.com/mgdvnw
The secretion: http://tinyurl.com/npsgve

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Paul
-

I couldn't receive your first picture, but the second shows another
Cordyline. I can see some white detritus which may be the old egg
cases of
aphids. I suggest you spray with insecticide, but be careful not to
overwet
the crown. The stickiness you're feeling is the secretion (actually,
excretion) of the aphids, often known as 'honeydew', for obvious
reasons.
The aphids, if left, will suck the sap of your plant, which is bad
enough,
but they may also introduce virus from another plant. It is unlikely
that
you would be able to treat the virus so the plant would need to be
destroyed. Another secondary problem is that the honeydew can attract
black
sooty mould, which is more unsightly than harmful, but still unwanted.
When
clean of the pest, you may wish to sponge the leaves carefully.

Spider
The first picture to me is plainly Dracaena marginata, a common
house-plant, neither a cordyline (cabbage tree) nor a palm. If I only
had the second picture, I wouldn't know what it was. But whatever it
is, I would have offered the same diagnosis as Spider.
--
echinosum


I bow to your greater wisdom, Echinosum, esp since you saw the bigger
picture (as the saying goes). Thanks for your support on the remiander. :~)

Spider