Improper watering, sudden changes in environment, cold drafts, lack of fertilizer, insect or disease attack may cause problems for houseplants.
Symptoms and possible cause:
General defoliation
- Sudden change in temperature
- Transplanting shock
- Sudden change in light intensity
- Over-watering
- Lack of light
Browning of leaf tips
- Improper watering or poor water quality (chlorine, fluoride, sodium, boron, soluble salts, etc.)
- Exposure to cold drafts
- Insect attack
- Excess fertilizer
- Incorrect soil pH
- Pollutants in the air
Loss of normal foliage color
- Over-watering
- Lack of fertilizer
- Insect attack
- Improper light
Spotted foliage
- Over-watering
- Burning from direct sunlight
- Cold water on foliage
- Disease (fungal infection, especially if plants are in very humid, wet conditions)
- Pollutants in the air (fumes from gases, etc.)
Failure of blooming plants to flower
- insufficient water or light, over fertilizing.
Flower buds drop before opening
- Temperature fluctuations, drafts, lack of humidity.
Silver or red blotches on foliage
- Too much direct sun.
Gradual defoliation (lower leaves yellow and fall)
- Overwatering (root damage), underwatering (not enough water to support full foliage),
- lack of sufficient light
- lack of fertilizer.
New Growth Wilted, or burned
- Too much fertilizer (leaching needed)
- cold drafts, hot drafts,
- to dry, sunburn, too warm, or freeze damage.
Entire plant wilted
- Too little water, too much water (roots rotted)
- too much fertilizer
- exposed to cold temperatures.
New foliage is small, pale
- Lack of light
- Lack of fertilizer
- Soil too dry
Leaves drop continuously, new leaves on tip are small and curled
- spray or vapor damage from cleaning fluids
- pollutants in the atmosphere
- Possibly aphid or mite damage.
Tiny white spots on leaves
- Primarily spider mites.
Cottony masses on stems, round or oval shaped bumps
- Mealy bugs
Sticky spots on foliage
- Primarily aphids
Small brown bumps on stems or foliage
- Scale insects
Fuzzy, grey mould that covers flowers, leaves and stems
- Botrytis blight (caused by dead leaves and spent flowers being left on the plant)
- Too much humidity
- Poor ventilation)
General drooping of the entire plant (Crown, stem or root rot)
- overwatering, especially during the winter months when plants are dormant and do not need much moisture.
Brown or yellow leaf spots
- Fungi which usually develops when water is allowed to remain on the leaves.
- Cold water can also be a cause of spotting. Use room temperature water for misting and watering, and make sure the foliage dries before night.
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