scaly surface on plumbago

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wyldonion OCATE, NM(Zone 5a) Feb 06, 2012

I am caring for a large tropical greenhouse/pool house which includes an enormous plumbago. It has been blooming non-stop for over a year but the undersides of the leaves have a scaly, almost sandpaper feel to them. I know this plant family has chalk glands to exude excess salts but this is in a huge pot and the water isn't particularly salty or even terribly high in mineral content. Older leaves have brown spots on top of the leaves as well. I could be looking at two different things though - the plant is next to a night blooming cirrus that the owner has been treating for mealy bugs by spraying/washing with alcohol. Any ideas?

judy

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Feb 06, 2012

Can you post some pictures?

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wyldonion OCATE, NM(Zone 5a) Feb 07, 2012

I'm on my way there this morning so I'll try but the spots are so tiny I doubt they will show up. They are finer than any silica sand you can buy.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Feb 07, 2012

You also mentioned brown spots--I figured the sandy stuff might be too small but seeing some pics of the leaves with the spots on them could be helpful.

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wyldonion OCATE, NM(Zone 5a) Feb 07, 2012

Here are my best attempts at photographing the plumbago - thanks for any help!

Thumbnail by wyldonion Thumbnail by wyldonion
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Happy_1 Chicago, IL(Zone 5b) May 29, 2012

Could it be a type of scale?

Hap

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Starlight_rose Apr 09, 2013

Found this when I searched for "Plumbago chalk glands" and been looking for the reason to why my Plumbago auriculata has been showing an almost identical problem as in your description, though I keep mine indoors during winter season here in Scandinavia. Having myself spent many hours browsing this problem back and forth I think, by these pictures you show and the previous entry on same matter, the reason behind could almost certain be spelled, or cursed, "Schritothrips dorsalis" (see more details: http://www.awkelleys.com/Articles/ChiliThrips.pdf ).

Best of Luck!

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wyldonion OCATE, NM(Zone 5a) Apr 12, 2013

Hi Starlight_rose

Well, a year later, the plumbago leaves look exactly the same and we have had to severely prune it several times to keep it from taking over! So, I guess it's the natural chalk gland residue I'm seeing and not thrips, scale or anything else. Hope yours does as well. This one blooms nearly year-round and is such a perfect color.

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