Hi Lees,

Schefflera Leaf with scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew.

The brown “stuff”on the midrib is a plant pest called Scale. Soft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralias, and scheffleras. It appears as small bumpy brown spots.  As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it usually secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew may attract black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior of the scale, sprays are only partially effective. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Check the front and backs of all the leaves on your plant and also check the stems of the plant; you need to get rid of all the scale before the plant dies.

These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants