Like medical doctors, plant doctors can diagnose diseases and treat issues; however, symptoms may sometimes mislead them into treating conditions incorrectly.
Chris provides advice and expertise for houseplant owners experiencing health issues, hosting weekly drop-in clinics at The Sill and making house calls across Manhattan.
Identifying the Symptoms
Houseplants can become sick, just like people or animals, sometimes fatally. But more commonly, diseases strike at an inopportune moment when stressors arise due to unfavorable conditions. The best way to prevent an outbreak is to ensure an optimal environment—this means using quality soil, not overcrowding plants, avoiding drafts, and providing enough temperature, humidity, water, and drainage for every plant in its care.
But even under ideal conditions, plants still require assistance. Pests or nutritional deficiencies may infect them and hinder their growth; both can result in weak growth that leaves infected plants wilting or losing leaves, having disfigured leaves that are distorty or spotty and flowers with speckled appearances.
Nutrient deficiencies can be an issue for plants when they are fed too sparingly, and poor-quality soil conditions, overwatering, or too much salt in their soil can contribute to them. Therefore, it’s essential that soil quality and plants be monitored on an ongoing basis so they receive all of the essential nutrients.
Bacteria or fungus infections in plants may result from wet, humid conditions or excessive feeding. Fungi-infected plants show spots or lesions that extend beyond leaf veins and yellow-hued lesions containing sticky yellow ooze; bacteria-related infections show similar symptoms but typically have more uniform color schemes.
Powdery mildew is another fungal disease that can damage houseplants. It begins as grayish-white colonies that spread quickly across leaves. It is most often found on orchids, begonias, and cyclamen but can affect many others, too. Root rot is caused by overwatering, poor soil drainage, or slow root activity and leads to blackened, soggy roots, resulting in blackened edges on roots, which typically kills off the plant altogether.
An effective way to identify houseplant diseases is by closely examining the plant. Look out for signs such as spores on leaves or soil, discolorations, and distortion, flowers that do not develop as expected or do not open at all, dullness, and sluggishness—any symptoms that indicate disease should be removed and isolated until their effects have subsided. If you suspect any infection, remove and isolate this one plant until all symptoms have subsided.
Diagnosing the Cause
Many houseplant diseases result from easily managed environmental stressors, including over- or underwatering, poor air circulation, root rot, too much fertilizer, or cold exposure. Furthermore, pests like mealy bugs or scale insects may contribute to disease symptoms in houseplants.
Houseplants often struggle with fungal disease, which is caused by bacteria, fungi, and yeasts that thrive in humid environments with limited sunlight. The first sign of fungal infection usually appears as powdery white spots on leaves or flowers that later turn yellow or brown and eventually kill the plant.
Powdery mildew is one of the most prevalent fungus threats to houseplants, making treatment extremely challenging once established. Therefore, its prevention should always be prioritized; this can be accomplished by improving air circulation, limiting exposure to moisture on leaves, and using specific fungicide sprays (composed of sulfur, chlorothalonil, or myclobutanil) against this specific infection.
Bacterial leaf spot is a more serious and widespread bacterial infection that causes discoloration of plant foliage. The spots, typically water-soaked and of various sizes and shapes, often affect only the top leaves but may spread to the plant’s stems or roots.
Another telltale sign of this disease is the appearance of sticky black fungus on honeydew excrements left by scale or mealy bugs that have attacked your plants. The fungus blocks their pores, leading to slow photosynthesis and eventually demise.
Sometimes, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what is causing a problem; the source could be any combination of several factors, such as over or underwatering, low light levels, or poor soil drainage. However, identifying its primary source is essential as failing to do so will likely result in disease or stress returning; as a precautionary measure, it is wise to inspect all your plants regularly to ensure they receive enough water, light, and nutrition and are free from insects or diseases.
Treating the Disease
Plant diseases typically arise from environmental or cultural issues and can often be corrected simply by altering your houseplant’s environment and care program. Most houseplants thrive under optimal conditions indoors; if stressed due to overwatering, cold temperatures, or poor air circulation, they’re more susceptible to developing disease.
Fungus-infected plants typically produce brown or black rotted areas in their soil, signaling serious fungal issues like Rhizoctonia, Pythium, or Botrytis. It usually leads to root or stem rot, resulting in wilting leaves and reduced plant health. This symptom could indicate root or stem rot.
Viruses are less prevalent as sources of houseplant disease than bacteria or fungal infections; symptoms can often be hard to pinpoint and vary from plant to plant, usually much less severe than their counterparts.
Houseplants that insects have attacked can become susceptible to various diseases. When infected, plant growth becomes stunted or spindly, and signs such as distortion of foliage and webbing on stems indicate insect feeding damage. Some insects, such as fungus gnats and aphids, inject sticky substances that lead to wilting, distortion, and growth issues in houseplants.
Though insect infestations may be difficult to eliminate, most can be treated effectively using neem oil, insecticidal soap, or petroleum-based products. A hard spray of water will quickly dislodge aphids.
White mold is another issue that’s easy to address if caught early enough. It often signals poor growing conditions and can be rectified by altering the potting mix, fertilization routine, or watering schedule.
Restoring the Plant
While houseplants with ideal indoor conditions rarely suffer from serious disease issues, it can still happen. Understanding their symptoms will enable you to spot and address potential threats to keep them healthy quickly.
As soon as your plant’s growth ceases, check its soil for dryness. If dry to the touch, provide adequate hydration but avoid overwatering it; overdoing can cause root and stem rot – one of the most prevalent houseplant diseases.
If the leaves on your plant appear dull or greyish, that could indicate low light levels. To increase exposure, try moving it to a brighter area, such as nearer a window.
Wilting, pale plants are another telltale sign. This could be caused by fungus gnats, sap-sucking insects that drain nutrients away from your plant, leading to slow growth and yellowed leaves. Spraying water should dislodge them; alternatively, you could try insecticidal soap or neem oil as possible solutions.
Gray mold is a telltale sign of inadequate air circulation and typically appears on old, faded flowers and older, lower foliage. To stop it from happening again, improve air circulation and immediately remove any affected flowers or foliage.
Various fungi can cause brown spots on leaves. They typically appear as concentrated circles with dead, dark centers and fruiting structures. Fungicides may help control them temporarily, though dealing with the source generally is more effective.
Root rot caused by fungus is often manifested by soft, black roots on your plant, signaling overwatering. You can combat it by using a well-draining potting mix.
Viruses may not be as common in houseplants as fungi and bacteria, but they do appear. Their symptoms mimic other illnesses: mottled leaves with spots or streaks are telltale signs. When working with various houseplants, make sure your hands and tools are clean to reduce the spread of viruses between plants.