Q&A: White Spots on My Neighbor’s Jade Plant – Need Advice!

Dr. Moritz Picot

Hi!

Thanks for reaching out! I’d be happy to help you figure out what’s going on with your jade plant.

It’s a good call to isolate the plant until you figure out the cause of the white spots.

I recommend inspecting the texture and appearance of the spot.

Here are some possibilities:

A. Salt deposits

Salt deposits appear crystalline or salt-like and can be easily wiped away using a damp cloth.

They appear when the soil has excess salts from over-fertilization or frequent use of hard water. Using hard or tap water on humidifiers can also cause mineral salts to land on leaves and appear as white, sandy spots when the water evaporates.

You can wipe them off with a clean damp cloth or dust the leaves using a fine brush. Moving forward, use filtered water when watering your jade plant.

Also, I recommend using only distilled water in humidifiers in your indoor garden to prevent salt buildup on the leaves. It can also help prevent damage on your device.

B. Mealybugs

Mealybugs are sticky, fluffy white crawlers that feed on plant sap. They are about 1/16-1/8 in (1.6-3.2 mm) in diameter with a white waxy outer covering.

They must be manually removed using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. You can eliminate eggs and larvae/nymphs and prevent re-infestation using a neem oil spray once a week at night.

For a complete guide on white spots, you can check out this article: http://thegrowingleaf.com/white-spots-on-jade-plant-leaves-symptoms-causes-fixes/

If you suspect mealybugs, this article will walk you through identification and treatment: http://thegrowingleaf.com/6-common-pests-affecting-jade-plants-signs-and-management/

Hope this helps,

Moritz