Indoor Fig Tree Dripping Sticky Syrup? It's Insect Honeydew—Treat with Alcohol or Oil

A 20-year-old indoor fig tree exudes sweet syrup onto the floor. Owner thinks the plant is secreting it. What's happening and how to stop it?

Not Plant Sap—Insect Waste

Tiny insects (mites, aphids, scale) feed on the fig and excrete honeydew. The "syrup" is their waste, not the plant's.

Treatment

1. Take plant outside.
2. Spray thoroughly with horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, or isopropyl alcohol.
3. Let sit 3–4 hours.
4. Hose off dead insects and residue.
5. Repeat if needed.

Prevention

Inspect regularly. Low humidity indoors favors mites. Mist foliage occasionally to deter them.