Question

African Viloet   QUESTION: Hello:

I have attached a picture of the problem. Can this violet be saved or re-rooted?

Thank you

Marje

ANSWER: Marje,
These look like white flies to me. Besides the telltale white specks, white flies like to suck the life out of leaves, leaving them a pale green like you have.  First, isolate this plant from others as white flies can spread. Looks like your infestation is pretty severe, so use a Q-tip with rubbing alcohol on it and touch each fly with this, trying very hard not to touch the leaf of the plant. If this is too tedious for you, then you can use an insecticidal soap found at a nursery. You mix it up with water and spray directly on your plant. I don't think white flies get into the soil, just the leaves, so you don't need to repot at this point.

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african violet   QUESTION: Do white flies leave a sticky white residue on the whole root, perhaps this picture is clearer

Thank you so very much

Marje

Answer
I'm so glad I checked my email. I'm getting ready to leave town for the weekend. Anyway, yes white flies do leave a sticky substance called "honeydew" on leaves.

Go to this link for more information on white flies and other pests. It also gives you several alternatives to pesticidal soaps such as Neem. Anyway, here is the link. Good luck.

CLICK: http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis/whiteflies.html