Pritchardia thurstonii looking bodacious in Cape Coral, FL

[PalmatierMeg]

My Pritchardia thurstonii is looking stellar this rainy season. It has almost doubled in size and sports large emerald green leaves. Fast reverse into late last year when I walked past it and saw to my horror that it was coated with mealybugs and probably scale too. They likely were days or a couple weeks into eating it straight to the compost pile. One of the worst mealybug infestations I've ever seen in person. I dashed indoors to shave a bar of ivory soap into a bucket of water, then dashed back outside with soap solution and a couple of soft cotton cloths. I spent the rest of the afternoon gently sponging soapy water onto every inch of that palm and into the crown. Next day I repeated the process. And the next day. And the next. It seemed like no sooner did I eliminate one brigade of bugs then another appeared the following morning. By the time I killed off the palm sucking horde my thurstonii was in chewed up tatters. Still, it survived and here it is today. It still has a tattered leaf or two from its ordeal at the bottom of its crown.

Pritchardia thurstonii, Cape Coral, FL July 2024

[donpachino1983]

👍👍👍 looking good

[Las Palmas Norte]

Your dedication saved that palm. It only looks this good because of you. 

[ruskinPalms]

One of my favorite Pritchardia species. I had one doing pretty good here for a few years but alas it caught some sort of crown rot and died. Probably a little too cool in the winter here for these. 

[peachy]

Mealy bug is a nightmare here too Meg.  I lost some gorgeous Crotons a couple of years ago due to  the rotten things.  P thurstonii is one of my favourite palms so I am so glad you could save it from the sticky horror.

[Harry’s Palms]

I have had minor problems with mealy bug and scale but usually if I clean the area on the palm with soapy water ( I use a dish soap solution) and remove as much of the leaf bases as possible. The little buggers love to hide there. I am happy that your palm survived and now thrives. Looks beautiful! Harry