Mealybugs or scale
Sticky residue and small white cottony tufts or brown bumps tucked along the stems mean sap-sucking pests.
Diagnosis
Mealybugs or scale
What's happening
Hoya kerrii's thick, sheltered leaves and stem crevices are a favorite hideout for mealybugs and scale. They pierce the plant to drink its sap, secreting sticky 'honeydew' as they feed. Left alone they multiply and slowly weaken the plant, causing leaves to yellow, distort, and drop.
How to fix it
Isolate the plant so the pests don't spread. Dab each visible bug off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then treat the whole plant — leaves, stems, and the underside of every heart — with insecticidal soap. Check the hidden spots where leaves meet the stem, since that's where they hide. Repeat the treatment every 5–7 days for several weeks to catch newly hatched crawlers, and keep inspecting until it stays clean.
What fixes it
- Insecticidal soap — Insecticidal soap coats and kills mealybugs and scale on contact without harming the waxy leaves.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Sweetheart Hoya care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this