Have Sticky Leaves? You Might Have Scale Insects on Your Plants

If you’ve noticed sticky leaves, stunted growth, or black sooty mold on your plants—you might be dealing with scale insects. These tiny, sap-sucking pests are common across South Louisiana, especially in warm, humid climates like ours in Covington, Mandeville, and Slidell.

At Cultivate, we’ve seen scale infest everything from hollies and camellias to crepe myrtles and citrus trees. The good news? With the right diagnosis and treatment, your plants can bounce back.

What Are Scale Insects?

Scale insects are tiny bugs that attach themselves to stems, leaves, and trunks—feeding off plant sap and weakening your plants over time. There are two main types:

Soft scale – These secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that attracts ants and encourages black sooty mold.

Hard scale – These don’t produce honeydew but can be even more destructive due to their protective armor.

They often look like:

Bumps on stems

Fish scales

Shell-like dots on the underside of leaves

Tiny turtle shells (no joke)

If it doesn’t brush off easily, it’s probably not dirt—it’s probably scale.

Common Plants Scale Attacks in South Louisiana

Hollies

Azaleas

Camellias

Crepe myrtles

Gardenias

Citrus trees

Magnolias

Ivy and groundcovers

These pests thrive in warm, humid weather—making May through September their favorite feeding time.

Signs You’ve Got Scale (Besides the Obvious Bugs)

Branches are thinning out or dying back

Leaves feel sticky or have black gunk on them

New growth is stunted or discolored

Ants are crawling all over the plant (they love the honeydew)

What Happens If You Ignore It?

Scale insects are slow killers. They won’t destroy a healthy plant overnight, but over time they:

Weaken plant structure

Make the plant more vulnerable to disease

Attract more pests

Can eventually kill shrubs and small trees

Once scale takes over, it’s a battle to bring the plant back. The sooner you catch it, the better.

Prevention Tips

Don’t over-fertilize—scale insects love soft, new growth

Keep your plants properly watered and mulched

Inspect plants monthly from April–September

Space plants well to improve airflow and reduce humidity

Not Sure if It’s Scale? Let Us Take a Look.

Plant pests are tricky—many homeowners don’t spot them until it's too late. At Cultivate, we offer inspections and treatment plans for scale, whiteflies, aphids, and other common Northshore plant problems.

Serving Covington, Mandeville, Slidell & all of St. Tammany Parish.

Book a Plant Health Inspection Today

Don’t wait for your favorite plants to start dying back. If you suspect scale—or just want peace of mind—we’re happy to come take a look.

Complete a Service Form today or call: 985-999-0309

Local, licensed, and ready to help.