What is the sticky substance on the leaves of my houseplants?
The stick substance is honeydew, a substance secreted by sucking insects. The most common cause for this in houseplants is brown scale. Brown scale is difficult to see, and they do not look like insects you are familiar with. Brown scale attach to the leaves and twigs of plants and look like bumps on the plant. You can apply horticultural oil and other products to control the scale. See a member of our staff for specific product recommendations.
