Bird of paradise pests, webbing or sticky leaves: causes and what to do
6 results in the diagnosis tree begin with pests, 5 of them marked likely when the answers fit. They are ordered here for Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), using what its sources say about pests and diseases, humidity and watering and 3 problems recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Strelitzia reginae, commonly known as the crane flower, bird of paradise, or isigude in Nguni, is a species of flowering plant native to the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. An evergreen perennial, it is widely cultivated for its dramatic flowers. Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Native range: Cape Prov. to KwaZulu-Natal (subtropical). Also sold as bird of paradise flower, Bird of paradise plant, Bird's Tongue Flower, canna-leaved strelitzia and crane flower.
What Bird of paradise’s sources say that bears on this
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by fern scale.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Mealybugs, greenhouse red spider mite and scale insects can attack it. Disease is uncommon.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Watering
- In spring and summer water generously and feed regularly; keep the plants drier in winter.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026While growing, water generously and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser. Give little water in winter, and ventilate once temperatures go above 20°C.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on a Bird of paradise
Dull, finely mottled leaves and faint webs: spider mites
Speckling spreads over the bird of paradise until the leaves look washed out and bronze, with fine threads at the growing points.
RHS lists spider mites among the pests it may attract. Mites empty the leaf cells one by one, which is what the pale dots are, and they breed fastest in warm, dry air.
Telling it apart: Webbing. Only mites spin fine silk at the shoot tips.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Hard, rounded scale on the undersides of the leaves
Rows of small, hard scales sit where the veins of the bird of paradise are thickest, and the surface below them is glossy with honeydew.
RHS lists scale insects among the pests it may attract. The insect settles under a waxy shell and feeds on sap for life, so a colony builds quietly along the stems.
Telling it apart: Whether the bumps sit on the veins. Scale follows the sap; spots from disease scatter across the leaf.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Sticky leaves and white fluff where they meet the stem: mealybugs
The bird of paradise carries white, cottony specks in its crevices, and growth slows. Leaves beneath the colonies turn sticky and, in time, dull or yellow.
RHS lists mealybugs among the pests it may attract. They feed on sap and shed the excess as sticky honeydew, and a colony tucked into the joints spreads before it is noticed.
Telling it apart: Whether the white comes with stickiness. Mealybugs leave honeydew; dust and mildew do not.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Possible causes, likeliest first for a Bird of paradise
Most likely spider mites
Ranked higher because Bird of paradise's recorded problems point this way.
- Dull, finely mottled leaves and faint webs: spider mites RHS
Why: Spider mites feed on individual leaf cells, and each emptied cell shows as a pale speck.
What to try:
- Move the bird of paradise away from other plants.
- Wash the leaves, top and underside, with a strong spray of water in a shower or sink.
What would settle it: Hold a sheet of white paper under a leaf and tap the leaf. Tiny specks that move across the paper are mites.
Most likely mealybugs
Ranked higher because Bird of paradise's recorded problems point this way.
- Sticky leaves and white fluff where they meet the stem: mealybugs RHS
Why: Mealybugs are soft insects that cover themselves in white wax, which gives the cottony look.
What to try:
- Move the bird of paradise away from other plants.
- Wipe off every insect you can see with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, testing a single leaf first.
What would settle it: Touch a tuft with a cotton swab. If a small, pale, oval insect is underneath, it is a mealybug.
Most likely scale insects
Ranked higher because Bird of paradise's recorded problems point this way.
- Hard, rounded scale on the undersides of the leaves RHS
Why: Scale insects settle in one place under a hard or waxy shell and feed on sap.
What to try:
- Move the bird of paradise away from other plants.
- Scrape the scales off with a fingernail or a soft brush, then wipe the stems and leaves.
What would settle it: Push a bump gently with a fingernail. Scale comes away and leaves a mark; a bump that is part of the bird of paradise does not move.
Less likely for a Bird of paradise, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes pests on a Bird of paradise?
- For Bird of paradise: spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.
- How can I tell which one it is on my Bird of paradise?
- What can you see? Fine webbing, and tiny pale speckles on the leaves; White, cottony tufts in the leaf joints; Small brown or pale bumps on stems and leaves that do not move; Clusters of small, soft insects on the new growth; Tiny dark flies around the soil; Sticky, shiny residue, but no insect I can see.
- What do Bird of paradise's sources say about its pests and diseases?
- NC State Extension: Can be troubled by fern scale. RHS: Mealybugs, greenhouse red spider mite and scale insects can attack it. Disease is uncommon.
- What does this look like on a Bird of paradise?
- Speckling spreads over the bird of paradise until the leaves look washed out and bronze, with fine threads at the growing points. Telling it apart: Webbing. Only mites spin fine silk at the shoot tips.
- Is Bird of paradise safe to handle while I check it?
- Its sources list it as toxic to cats and dogs. Wash your hands after handling the roots or sap, and keep trimmings away from pets.
Other plants that show pests
African violetIrregular notches bitten from leaf edges by an insect pest
Barberton daisyCurled, sticky new leaves with green or black insects: aphids
Bearded irisRagged holes and slime trails: a slug or snail pest
Bigleaf hydrangeaClusters of small soft insects on the shoot tips and buds: aphids
Blue passion flowerPale stippled leaves and tiny moving dots underneath: a mite pest
Bush lilySmall white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints
Something else wrong with the Bird of paradise?
What this does not cover
This page orders a decision tree's results using a plant's sourced care. It has not seen your plant, its pot or its window, and two problems at once are common: that is the usual reason a confident answer turns out wrong. The questions in the diagnosis tool narrow it further than a list can.