Sticky weeping fig (2024)

Q: I have a ficus tree that I take out in the summer and bring inside in the fall. When I bring it back in, the leaves become sticky, and it weeps this sticky substance on the floor. I suspect the tree is stressed but do not know what to do about the mess it makes. Should I clean it with something?

A: I think you’ve got a weeping fig that’s infested with scale, which is a fairly common fig pest that sucks chlorophyll out of the stems and leaves. The sticky stuff is the waste that these insects excrete -- euphemistically called “honeydew.” (That sounds nicer than “scale poop.”)

Anyway, it’s tough to eliminate all scale once and for all with just one treatment. So you may need to keep an eye out for this and treat regularly when the stickiness appears.

Look closely for little bumps on the stems, branches and leaves. Inside, you can take a soft cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol and wipe off any bugs or honeydew that you see. You can do this repeatedly until the problem stops (or until you get tired, give up and just go buy a new ficus).

Another strategy is treating your plant each fall before you bring it back inside. Sprays of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil should at least knock back the problem. You might even check the tree periodically when it’s outside over summer and treat whenever you see scale appearing.

Orthene and Mite-X are other anti-scale controls for outside use.