Green Scale on Citrus and Ornamentals: Organic Control of Coccus viridis

Identifying and Treating Green Scale (Coccus viridis)

Green scale on citrus, gardenia, ficus, and tomatoes suggests Coccus viridis (green shield scale). Ants often farm them for honeydew.

Organic Treatment Plan

1. Paraffin oil (horticultural oil) – Spray thoroughly (tops/bottoms of leaves, stems) at 2% dilution. Repeat 2-3 times at 10-day intervals. Suffocates all stages.
2. Ant control – Apply sticky barriers (Tanglefoot) on trunks; bait stations with borax/sugar away from plants.
3. Beneficials – Release lady beetles or lacewings; avoid broad-spectrum insecticides.

Cultural Practices

• Prune heavily infested branches.
• Improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering.
• Fertilize moderately—excess nitrogen encourages succulent growth scales love.

Monitoring

Check weekly with magnifier. Scale crawlers (mobile nymphs) are most vulnerable to oil. Persistence breaks the cycle.

Reference: Google Images for Coccus viridis on citrus