plantindex
Fix it →
Diagnosis

A houseplant with sticky residue on leaves and white, cottony clusters in leaf joints

Sticky residue on leavesWhite, cottony clusters in leaf joints

Based on what you've described, these are the likeliest causes — ranked. Each one carries a tell-tale sign that distinguishes it from the others, and a single-minute check to confirm.

1Most likely

Mealybugs

Sap-sucking scale insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, protected by a waxy white coating that looks like small tufts of cotton. They excrete honeydew, a sticky, sugary residue that coats lower leaves and attracts sooty mold.

Tell-tale sign
White, cotton-like clusters tucked into the angle where a leaf meets the stem, often with a sticky film on leaves below.
60-second check
Touch one of the cottony spots with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. If it's a mealybug, it'll turn brown and fall apart instantly.
Read deeper
Two ants crawling along a green plant stem — ants on a houseplant are a reliable telltale of a honeydew-producing pest nearbyPests & Diseases

Sticky Residue on Houseplant Leaves: The 3 Pests That Cause It

11 min
Green leaf dusted with white powdery mildew — one of the four things 'white fuzz on a plant' can meanPests & Diseases

White Fuzz on Plant Soil or Leaves: A Complete Identification Guide

13 min
Macro close-up of a green aphid on a plant — one of the seven most common tiny bugs found on houseplantsPests & Diseases

What Are These Tiny Bugs on My Houseplant? A Visual Identification Guide

15 min
Start a new diagnosis
Canonical combo: sticky-residue--white-cottony-clusters