Is this African Milk Tree healthy?

[noahjohnson124]

I recently got an African Milk Tree and it soon became one of my favorite plants. However, after losing a few leaves over the winter, I want to make sure it's healthy. What do you guys think?

 

[Chuck]

I recently got an African Milk Tree and it soon became one of my favorite plants. However, after losing a few leaves over the winter, I want to make sure it's healthy. What do you guys think? View attachment 50872

The leaves are supposed to be green. I don't know particularly what is wrong but it is either too much water, too little water and not nearly enough light. If I were to guess I'd say light.

 

[auntiecindi]

I am trying to grow this plant also . My info card suggests scale is what makes a brown shield. if you still have the plant u need to scrape it off use rubbing alcohol or an insecticide. Let me know how things go.

 

[Silentrunning]

I would agree with Chuck since I have seen these growing out in full sunlight down in Florida.

 

[auntiecindi]

So the brown is not scale?

 

[Chuck]

So the brown is not scale?

From the picture there is no way to tell if it is scale or not but, removing hard scale from any plant by scraping it off is the absolute most wrong thing you can do. You do not remove hard scale, you kill it. And you kill it by suffocation. As the plant gradually grows it will shed the dead insects. By scraping it off you actually injure the plant by removing its epidermis and underlying parts such as the phloem, cambrium, xylem and pith, depending on how deep you scrape. To kill hard scale use Neem Oil.

 

[auntiecindi]

Thanks Chuck, scraping did sound like it could hurt the plant. My reference cards may be a bit outdated in the best way to approach a pest problem.