Flaming Katy 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 Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), using what its sources say about pests and diseases, humidity and watering and 2 problems recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a commonly cultivated evergreen house plant of the genus Kalanchoe native to Madagascar. It is known by the English common names flaming Katy, Christmas kalanchoe, florist kalanchoe and Madagascar widow's-thrill. Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Native range: NE. Madagascar (seasonally dry tropical). Also sold as Christmas Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe, Madagascar Widow's Thrill and panda plant.
What Flaming Katy’s sources say that bears on this
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by vine weevil and mealybugs. Diseases: usually none.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Watering
- They are drought tolerant; let the soil dry out, then water deeply.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026During growth water moderately; while dormant water sparingly.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on a Flaming Katy
Irregular notches bitten from leaf edges by an insect pest
The flaming Katy wilts and collapses although it has been watered. In the potting mix are cream, C-shaped grubs with brown heads, and few roots remain.
RHS lists vine weevil among the pests it may attract. Grubs hatch in the potting mix and eat the roots out of sight, so a plant in a pot can collapse with little warning.
Telling it apart: Whether the plant is loose. Grub damage leaves a plant that lifts from its pot with few roots.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Small white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints
Look into the tightest angles of the plant: white woolly patches there are mealybug colonies, often with a sticky sheen on the leaves below them.
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 Flaming Katy
Most likely mealybugs
Ranked higher because Flaming Katy's recorded problems point this way.
- Small white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints RHS
Why: Mealybugs are soft insects that cover themselves in white wax, which gives the cottony look.
What to try:
- Move the flaming katy 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 spider mites
Why: Spider mites feed on individual leaf cells, and each emptied cell shows as a pale speck.
What to try:
- Move the flaming katy 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 scale insects
Why: Scale insects settle in one place under a hard or waxy shell and feed on sap.
What to try:
- Move the flaming katy 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 flaming katy does not move.
Less likely for a Flaming Katy, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes pests on a Flaming Katy?
- For Flaming Katy: mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects.
- How can I tell which one it is on my Flaming Katy?
- 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 Flaming Katy's sources say about its pests and diseases?
- RHS: Can be troubled by vine weevil and mealybugs. Diseases: usually none.
- What does this look like on a Flaming Katy?
- The flaming Katy wilts and collapses although it has been watered. In the potting mix are cream, C-shaped grubs with brown heads, and few roots remain. Telling it apart: Whether the plant is loose. Grub damage leaves a plant that lifts from its pot with few roots.
- Is Flaming Katy 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
Bird of paradiseDull, finely mottled leaves and faint webs: spider mites
Blue passion flowerPale stippled leaves and tiny moving dots underneath: a mite pest
Something else wrong with the Flaming Katy?
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.