Poinsettia

by Helen 6th August 2011, 5:23 pm

Anyone know anything about Poinsettias?

I have had one in a pot indoors, since christmas. In recent weeks it has started to ooze a clear sticky liquid from leaves. It's gone all over the windows ledge and window and made everything sticky, so I put the plant outside on the garden table.

The wasps have gone mental for it. There was about 20 of them all buzzing round it at one point.

They've nearly finished clearing all the sticky goo off it now. Very Happy

Anyone know what that is, or why it happens? The goo was quite sweet (I tasted it, hope it's not poisonous!)

by Dandelion 7th August 2011, 4:29 pm

I'm not a poinsettia expert (well, except that I'm good at killing them...!) but I wonder if the sticky substance is evidence of something like aphids or spider mite? Aphids certainly secrete honey dew, which would interest the wasps. Could you spray it with some insecticidal soap?

by Lottie 8th August 2011, 2:35 pm

Hi Helen,

Poinssettias are poisonous so be aware! Plus they're from the Euphorbia family so the sticky substance maybe like the whilte milky substance you get from your bog-standard garden Euphorbias which is a real irritant, so be careful and wear gloves when you touch the white stuff!

Bar that, I dunno.. Embarassed

by Helen 9th August 2011, 5:40 pm

Thanks for replies x

The plant looks lovely and clean now the wasps have finished with it!

I've sprayed it with some soapnut liquid.

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