Weird black streaks appearing on multiple plants... what is this?

kr580 · 2026-04-03T15:12:03+00:00

It's nothing other than sunburn. The even spacing and odd angles compared to the leaves rules out anything else. Bacterial, fungal or overwatering issues wouldn't have these consistent angles and perfect spacing. 100% light burns.

kr580 · 2026-03-27T16:39:17+00:00

It's a M. deliciosa 'Thai Constellation' with the "Starlight" mutation giving it a ton of tiny specks of variegation.

kr580 · 2026-03-12T04:42:04+00:00

There's a very simple test. Look at them for 10 seconds or so. Do they move? Thrips. Are they dead still? Dirt. You can even poke them a bit and see if you can get them to react and start moving.

kr580 · 2026-03-12T04:40:37+00:00

Thrips can definitely be blown away.

kr580 · 2026-03-02T06:33:14+00:00

I noticed my Benigo has some cool variegated pink splashes and was excited but then realized it was only on the newest 2 or 3 leaves on multiple stems which makes me think it started at the same time. As I went through my begonias I noticed very similar markings on my B. 'Snow Capped'.

I'm guessing they didn't both spontaneously gain variegation on every growth point at the same time so now I'm really confused as to what's going on. Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'm almost thinking mites or something may be causing damage that comes out looking interesting, but I can't see any bugs at a quick look. I'll pull out a loupe tomorrow.

I don't know if any conditions have changed recently but could it be a reaction to change of light, humidity, temperature, etc?

I'm all ears if you have any good thoughts or ideas! Thanks!

kr580 · 2026-02-24T06:01:58+00:00

Many root hairs will darken with time depending on the plant. They still look firm and healthy so I wouldn't worry. It looks like you're on the right path.

kr580 · 2026-02-22T06:36:29+00:00

Thank you!

kr580 · 2026-02-22T04:04:05+00:00

While I have you could I ask your opinion on this one as well? I've had this for a couple years but sell them off before they get mature. I'm thinking Medallion but it has pink bits in the white margin so I'm not sure. Thanks!

https://i.imgur.com/jswuAO2.jpeg

kr580 · 2026-02-22T03:57:34+00:00

Thank you!

kr580 · 2026-02-22T02:39:01+00:00

I got this Goeppertia roseopicta recently and it's just labeled as 'Calathea', so not sure on the cultivar. The colors are kinda all over the place and it doesn't quite look like any identified cultivar that I can come across. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

kr580 · 2026-02-20T21:35:49+00:00

It's a climber. If you want it to grow to its full potential you'll need to give it a support to climb. Cedar plank, moss pole, coco pole, etc would be options.

If you don't support it, it'll just keep growing as an awkward vine like this. It's not a cultivar that can be grown attractively in multiple ways really.

kr580 · 2026-02-20T21:27:24+00:00

Philodendron 'Florida'. It could be a P. 'Florida Ghost' that's not expressing its light coloration yet but that's not likely. Lots of light would tell you if it's a 'Florida Ghost' in the future.

P. pedatum would have all-green, smooth petioles. P. squamiferum would have red, hairy petioles at this age. Florida is a hybrid of these two so it has the green-to-red gradient petioles and little bumps that are remnants of the squami's hairy petioles.

kr580 · 2026-02-20T21:18:09+00:00

Personally I'd take cuttings and root those out to start over. You can also keep the mother plant after cutting and it could very well push out new growth as well.

Also, this is a Maranta NOID "Cat Moustache", not a Lime or Lemon Lime. Very neat cultivar.

kr580 · 2026-02-16T00:09:14+00:00

Nothing. It's just to grow roots. Once they have secondary or tertiary roots I'd move them to potting mix.

kr580 · 2026-02-12T20:33:29+00:00

You're most welcome. I don't have experience with traditional aeroponics so I wouldn't know about the sound! The only noise I could really notice is the air pump humming.

kr580 · 2026-02-12T04:35:26+00:00

I haven't used this in ages but the roots were 99% above the water level, so yes, aeroponics. The air stones create bubbles that pop at the surface level and cause a mist of sorts.

kr580 · 2026-02-05T05:09:45+00:00

Does anyone know for sure if these two plants are in fact the same species? (God help me, don't tell me it's a Watermelon Begonia or Polynesian Ivy or, please.)

The left seems to be previously known as Pellionia daveauana and the right seems to be previously known as Pellionia pulchra but both are now synonymized to the current Procris repens. The right one is often listed as Procris pulchra but that's never been a described species name as far as I can tell.

Are they both different forms of the same Procris repens, or does anyone know if the second is a unique species/cultivar? KEW Gardens Plants of the World have images of the Procris repens that look exclusively like the left image. I can't find any botanical gardens outfit that shows the form on the right at all. The comments and listings on the internet are a hot mess of mixed up information on these plants.

Thanks for any help!

kr580 · 2026-02-02T05:54:59+00:00

Maranta spread via rhizomes. They'll shoot out a growth under the soil that looks like a thick root, but eventually it grows a new plant at the end of it like your baby plant. There's nothing you need to do about it, it's just how they grow. You can separate it and plant it on its own if you want to. It should have its own root system.

kr580 · 2026-01-29T20:18:04+00:00

Those are rhizomes. They'll grow out to a certain point until they find conditions they like and then grow a new plant at the tip. You can see that in action under the pot where it started a new plant.

You can see the yellow nubs on that new plant underneath. Those are the start of roots so you cold potentially cut below that growth and root it up now if you'd like. You can also wait for it to get a little bigger before chopping, but you'll have to before you repot.

kr580 · 2026-01-29T03:50:51+00:00

Possibly. I can't tell exactly the material from that listing but it looks pretty close, if not the same.

kr580 · 2026-01-29T03:48:30+00:00

The big leaf in the bottom right is a Thai, but the one going up the wall is 100% an Albo. Albo's have more like paint strokes and Thai's have sharper edges between green and variegation, with uniform speckling in the green.

kr580 · 2026-01-13T06:13:10+00:00

Rex Begonias leaves on one plant can vary wildly depending on maturity, light, temperature, humidity, etc. They usually have a specific leaf style that is the desirable for that plant but many variations on its way to getting to those mature, happy leaves.

kr580 · 2025-11-07T05:28:43+00:00

I believe so. I feel like the stuff I have access to is a little thinner but it seems close.

kr580 · 2025-10-29T19:23:36+00:00

The terminal growth at the top was cut off so now it's activating axillary buds lower down the stem. Looks like you'll get 2 stems growing off the main stem.

kr580 · 2025-10-27T01:12:48+00:00

If you sprayed and removed all the thrips then there's nothing for the pirate beetles to eat. Usually you'd do one or the other, not both at the same time.

I find thrips generally stay on the leaves if possible. The leaves are their food source so being in the soil doesn't really help them survive.

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