By Milliemills
Carmarthenshire,
United Kingdom 
Hi - the last winter killed off a large phormium (New Zealand flax), so sadly I dug it up - which was no easy thing! and I saved and replanted a few of the smaller "fans" that looked like they had small roots. Bingo! some have taken with lots of little shoots coming up. I then set about cutting out the old stems and found a lot of white fluffy stuff inside the old cavities - I thought it was mould or mildew but someone told me it could be "wooly aphids" and I did notice some little white creatures! Does anybody have any info how to deal with this problem - is it a problem, could I just leave them ?? Any help gratefully received.
18 Jul, 2011
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It's Phormium mealybug. You often find it on Phormiums these days, and the treatment recommended was spraying with malathion, but that's now been withdrawn. Imidaproclid, an ingredient in Provado, may have some effect, but its necessary to pull back the leaves to get the spray right inside. Only heavy infestations threaten the life of the plant, though any infestation may reduce vigour and root growth.
18 Jul, 2011