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Hey, a few months ago I discovered what look like crystals, or sugar-like deposits within some of the leaves. There also seemed to be small dark dots, which looked like they could be some form of mite.

I keep the tree well watered, and on a windowsill (have done for over a year) and it seems to do pretty well, but this was the first time I had issues. Based on some research I have been spraying the leaves (top and bottom) with water and washing up liquid. This has reduced the issue but the bugs are still hanging around.

A few days ago I shook the tree over some paper and inspected the resulting specs that fell. I have attached some images of the original crytals I found, as well as the view down a microscope of what fell off onto the paper. Can anyone help me identify them and the correct course of action from here?


Crystals


Pests under microscope

Carmona suffering in northern hemisphere winters is possibly the most frequent topic in this forum. There are nobody that can give an accurate answer and so far I havent seen any OP come back with a success story.

You might need to accept that your conditions is not suitable for carmona and that there is a big risk that the tree will die.

You can fight the bugs, but if not general care and environment is solved they will come back.

I think lack of light and low humidity is the problem, a terrarium might be the answer. But I havent seen anyone trying that yet.

On Youtube I found one person growing them successfully in winter in a 15 degree basement under artificial light. In summer this tree was outside.

Your carmona has aphids. Tread with a suitable spray against insects (for indoor use) and keep in mind the repeat cycle (typically 6 weeks) to ensure that you also kill off the young ones hatching from eggs.

Alternative is filling a sprayer with water, and a spoon full of dishwashing soap & a shotglass of cleaning alcohol, spray with that. Pay special attention to the clusters and the connections of leaves to stems. Repeat twice after 4 and 8 weeks.

Ohh, yes. Forgot the specific question

Aphids it is. Neem oil is an effecient and natural treatment.

Thanks for ID - I'll have a go with the remedies and report back.

As for the conditions, yeah that's a tricky one. I've been keeoping this one on the same windowsill for close to 18 months, and until the last couple of months it's done fine. It's a south facing window so there's a lot of light. We do hang washing in the room in thw winter (with occassional dehubidifier running (I nsure it's topped up with water when that happens though). but I guess that could be part of the cause.