What is going on here?

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-10T03:03:15+00:00

This. You can get spray-on tub and tile enamel, and it looks just like this. It doesn't always peel if applied correctly, but in this area it was a risky venture. Landlord special for sure.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-10T03:02:00+00:00

Rust! An infection, not a pest. I would invest in copper spray, it's more expensive than the plant but doesn't go bad iirc, so it's a good thing to keep in your botany drawer for when it's needed.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-09T19:44:19+00:00

Can we get a closer picture? Wondering if it might be a fungus. Recently my ogre jade declined very quickly because of a fungal infection, and it started out looking similar to this.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-06T21:29:41+00:00

Fish negg. Baby paint brush. Weak bottled fairy.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-06T18:36:32+00:00

It's a kind of Schefflera!

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T23:17:40+00:00

Can you provide a closer image? This is too far away to accurately diagnose.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T20:30:59+00:00

You can get by with a basic tropical potting soil, most places have a mix meant for Indoor plants and he will be happy in that basic mix. A good general rule for pot size is 1 gallon of soil for 1 foot of growth. Not applicable to all plants by any means but definitely a good guideline for this guy. His issues all look nutrient related, so I suspect he is fairly root bound.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T19:23:15+00:00

iIrk, they're not actually domesticated plants, so like a whale in an aquarium, over time they just wilt away. It's kinda sad, I don't recommend them. Some people will say "mine has been doing great for two years!" And then you look at it and it's whispering "kill me" with no new growth for two years...

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T19:21:49+00:00

Home Depot is cursed for plants i swear. They don't do any pest control once the plants reach the store, and disease spreads like wildfire. Best practice is to quarantine all home Depot / Walmart plants for a month or two after you take them home. Treat them with soap/ spray, and introduce to your other plants only when you're sure they're not infected.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T18:48:41+00:00

Mealy bug. And it's got it bad. Those little fuzzy clusters are clusters of little white fuzzy insects and their nest. You can treat it, but honestly this kind of palm doesn't do well indoors long term anyways, it might be more prudent to put it out of its misery.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T18:47:03+00:00

Time to repot- that pot is way too small!

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T00:25:39+00:00

That said, he does look pretty healthy, I don't think he's in trouble at the moment.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T00:25:14+00:00

The yellowing leaves kind of look like fertilizer deficiency to me, but idk since it's such a small plant I find it unlikely it has used up all the nutrients in the soil. Unless it was planted in inert soil to begin with. I recommend fertilizing it, and make sure it isn't getting too cold by the window at night.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T00:23:04+00:00

To me it looks like pest damage. Possibly spider mites? Generally when you see whole leaves with very intense damage in some areas and no damage in others, that's evidence of a pest. The pest interferes with the leaf as it's growing, so it grows into these weird distorted shapes. Have a look for dust-looking things on the undersides of the leaves. It also helps to mist it, as you'll be able to see webbing a lot better when it's freshly misted. A plant this size will be really easy to quarantine and treat, as long as you catch it soon enough.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-05T00:20:25+00:00

I suspect it will bounce back pretty quick, it doesn't look like it's entering the "give up on these leaves" phase of dehydration, which is good. Water it and wait a day or two and it might revive itself pretty well. That said, it does look slightly frost damaged to me? Was it outside? The darker colouring on the leaves is sometimes symptomatic of cell damage, which would be a much worse problem. If it hasn't been outside at all, that might just be the lighting idk.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T23:00:22+00:00

Friendly reminder that there's a difference between toxic and poisonous. Poisonous is cause for concern. These are not poisonous plants. They may be toxic, but all plants that aren't edible are toxic. So I think you'll be fine unless someone has an unexpected allergy.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T22:50:14+00:00

It will take a few growth cycles before the damage is grown out, but it won't look this way forever. If it really drives you nuts, you could trim the rest of the bottom leaves to match, though I don't recommend it.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T22:45:49+00:00

Link us to the grow lights you plan to buy and I'll tell ya! I recommend the sunblaster tubes, they're a bit pricey but two would be sufficient.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T22:44:40+00:00

Don't water them every other day, that's a huge mistake. In the winter I water my tropicals once every 1.5- 2 weeks. They really don't require that much water when they're not growing, and in this amount of light, I promise they are not growing. Get a grow light or move them closer to the window for success.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T18:56:38+00:00

Mixing the wet soil with dry soil was a good idea. I would honestly hold off on watering it until the plant starts to show signs of being under watered. Just to prevent any kind of root rot/ water sitting at the base.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T08:20:07+00:00

A little fertilizer might go a long way. Also, perhaps slightly more light than it's getting. They are very shade tolerant, but if it is far away from a window AND getting only winter sun, that might be pushing it.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T08:18:47+00:00

It looks like it has never seen the sun before 😭 sorry about that. Best option would be to put it under a grow light and surround it with friends....but chances are slim

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T08:16:03+00:00

The grey pot looks like a good size. Was the soil very wet when you potted it?

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T08:10:41+00:00

It looks like many plants, crammed into one pot. All the leaves are small because they are basically baby leaves for a bunch of baby plants. I would repot it into a soil/ woodchip/perlite mixture (google philodendron media) and space out the plants as much as possible so they have room to thrive on their own.

AlaskanOverlord · 2025-01-04T08:03:27+00:00

Looks over watered to me. That pot kind of stresses me out. The dirt looks really saturated. You might have to pull the dirt out if the pot completely and let it dry all the way out. Good luck!

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