white fungus on hibiscus

[bantan]

What do I spray my hibiscus with as they have white sticky fungus on them?

[jayceebee]

Try soapy water...not in the sun though. Fungus is carried on birds' feet I was once told.

[rfs52a]

Sounds like your plants have a Pink Mealy Bug infestation. Google it and take some pictures to your local garden centre for the best remedy. Good luck!

[Muad_dib]

We have this on a neighbours plant hanging over our wall so we're worried about our own hibiscus.I've checked the internet and there does not appear to be a pesticide to control these bugs,it just says use lady birds and a type of wasp that feeds on all stages of the life cycle of the bug

[cyrob]

Spotted the same thing about 2 weeks ago , spread from neighbouring gardens in days. . Apparently it is a mealy bug and will spread very quickly if not treated . Bought chemical to be sprayed on every 10days from Mediterranean Gardner in Alsancak

[danielle]

Yes, we also have an infestation of these horrible little bugs in our garden. This is the first year we have had them and they seem to particularly love our hibiscus and hebe plants. I have been noticing them all over the island this year and was wondering if they had been imported with plants from Holland or Turkey. Anyway, I find the best way to get rid of them is to spray them with a jet of water from the hose or to wear plastic gloves and squash them as you brush them off the plant.

[Owl Lady]

For the white fungus I used FosforinM (from Green Garden),not cleared completely,so resprayed yesterday again.

[dippersgirl]

I sprayed, but also carefully went over the whole hibiscus as well as coleus and picked everything off by hand. If your hibiscus is big, then spraying is enough, but you ones deteriorate quickly and it's best to clear them by hand and water. Spray very gently, lay down your plant if you can, so all the undersides of the leaves get something. Next day remove any infestation left by hand.

[frontalman]

After several weeks spraying and picking off the blighters by hand we had to throw the towel in and chop our mature hibiscus bushes right back. I have been watering these since 2006, so quite sad to do this. Hopefully they will grow again. These were in our back garden. The infestation on our front bushes has been very light so we think we can keep them as they are for now. They do not just affect hibiscus plants, they seem to like the evergreen hedge plants that people here use for borders, don't know their name, sorry and other plants such as lantana, but not as much as hibiscus. My gardener says they will go once the rain starts, hope he's right. They will kill the plant if left untreated.

[How188]

I have the same problem and took a "Sample" in a bag to the little gardening shop by the hospital in Girne, mealy bugs!!!
Have been given a chemical that can be sprayed on the plants that treats this any other insect type infections.
Seems to be rife this year as it has been so dry.

[carrierbag]

We have a large evergreen hedge (Mia Forma?) and it has this stuff all over it...again....3rd year running now. It goes once we get the rains but this year it has spread to the hibiscus too. I have tried several garden centre suggested remedies (poisons basically) and nothing works. Babel Garden Centre (Alagadi) said just cut down the hedge as it is the culprit and the aphids love it so we might have to bite the bullet in the Spring. It was suggested we replant with the Duranda:

http://www.google.com.cy/imgres?imgurl= ... CEMQ9QEwBA

which is, apparently, not affected by any aphids?

[How188]

Seems a bit radical to me to remove a hedge for a bug!!!
Systemic controls should work if you keep applying.

[dippersgirl]

I bought a white and a blue Duranda last year at Famagusta Pazaar, didn't know then what it was, so I planted them in the front flower bed, far too close together and its grown all long and gangly. It grows very fast so you will need to trim it a lot, certainly as fast as the Lantanas. Now I have looked it up and discovered it is usually trimmed into a hedge. It has not had any bugs at all, even though I have two hibiscus who are also plagued by the white bug , so hopefully you should be safe, but here you never know.

[dippersgirl]

I did also come across this when looking for information
http://thenerdygardener.hubpages.com/hu ... nt-Duranta

[carrierbag]

It is a radical solution - removing the hedge for the bug but it is not just one bug! The thing is covered and we have sprayed religiously for months....can take up to 2 hours as the hedge is so long so not giving in that easily.

The thing is, it kills of the hedge and all our spraying is doing nothing!

Not sure now about the Duranda now so back to the drawing board.

[dippersgirl]

I normally always buy in the North, but when things get desperate..........and this white mealy bug makes you so...................my friend in the South has the same problem and she sprayed her hibiscus and so far it's worked. I will check on the product name and report back.

[carrierbag]

Can the product be used on the hedging too and will it work? If so, I would be most interested. Thanks

[dippersgirl]

Haven't forgotten, still waiting to hear

[Owl Lady]

sprayed mine again, with FosforinM from Green Garden and it seems to have gone, Fingers crossed.