camera identify
Try for Free
tab list
PictureThis
English
arrow
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية
Svenska
Polskie
ภาษาไทย
Bahasa Melayu
Bahasa Indonesia
PictureThis
Search
Search Plants
Try for Free
Global
English
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية
Svenska
Polskie
ภาษาไทย
Bahasa Melayu
Bahasa Indonesia
This page looks better in the app
about about
About
care_guide care_guide
Care Guide
plant_info plant_info
More Info
pests pests
Pests & Diseases
pic top
Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'
Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens'
Also known as : Lemon bottlebrush 'Splendens', Bottlebrush tree 'Splendens'
Callistemon 'Splendens' is a commonly grown cultivar of the plant genus Callistemon. It has a compact and rounded habit and usually grows to about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and wide, although it may grow taller. Large, well-displayed "brushes" are produced in late spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring at other times. New growth is pink-tinged and the leaves are elliptic and up to 90 mm long and 20 mm wide. The cultivar, which has been in grown for many years, is of uncertain origin. It was originally known as Callistemon citrinus var. splendens, first formally described in 1925 in Botanical Magazine. In 1970 it was promoted under the name 'Endeavour' to mark the bicentennial of James Cook's voyage to Australia on the Endeavour. It was registered under the name Callistemon 'Splendens' with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority in 1989. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
9 to 11
care guide

Care Guide for Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Watering Care
Watering Care
Average water needs, watering when the top 3 cm of soil has dried out.
Details on Watering Care Watering Care
Soil Care
Soil Care
Clay, Loam, Neutral
Details on Soil Care Soil Care
Ideal Lighting
Ideal Lighting
Full sun, Partial sun
Details on Sunlight Requirements Ideal Lighting
Ideal Temperature
Ideal Temperature
9 to 11
Details on Temperature Ideal Temperature
care guide bg
Know the light your plants really get.
Find the best spots for them to optimize their health, simply using your phone.
Download the App
Picture This
A Botanist in Your Pocket
qrcode
Scan QR code to download
label
cover
Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'
Water
Water
Every 2 weeks
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
9 to 11
plant_info

Key Facts About Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Attributes of Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Shrub
Plant Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃

Scientific Classification of Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

icon
Find your perfect green friends.
Plan your green oasis based on your criteria: plant type, pet safety, skill level, sites, and more.
pests

Common Pests & Diseases About Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Common issues for Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens' based on 10 million real cases
Brown spot
Brown spot Brown spot
Brown spot
This infection can cause brown spots or patches to appear on the plant.
Solutions: In minor cases of brown spot, there isn’t any need to treat the disease. However, if much of the foliage is affected and defoliation occurs, the plant will benefit from getting rid of the infection. It is recommended to start by applying organic treatment options, working up to the more potent synthetic, chemical fungicides if necessary. Organic options won’t kill the fungus, but will prevent it from spreading. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water. Using a spray bottle, spray on tops and bottoms of leaves until the mixture drips off. Repeat every two weeks until existing spots stop enlarging and new spots no longer appear. Spray a copper-based fungicidal soap on the leaves, coating the top and bottom leaf surfaces. Reapply as directed on the product label. Copper penetrates the leaf surface and prevents germination of spores so the fungus cannot spread. Apply an all-purpose fungicide to the entire plant, following the label instructions carefully.
Underwatering yellow
Underwatering yellow Underwatering yellow
Underwatering yellow
A lack of water will cause the leaves to gradually turn yellow starting at the base of the branch while the entire plant appears to wilt.
Solutions: Your plant is very thirsty and needs water promptly. You can revive your plant by giving it water. The easiest technique is to slowly pour water into your plant’s soil so that the whole surface is moistened. If you pour the water too quickly, the water will flow directly through rather than diffusing throughout the soil. If your plant’s pot does not have drainage holes, do not give your plant more than about a third of the pot’s volume of water. If your plant’s pot does have drainage holes, you can add water slowly until the soil is thoroughly moistened and the water flows freely through the pot. If you trim off yellow leaves to improve the plant’s appearance, do not remove more than a third of the plant’s leaves. It may be better to wait until leaves have died and fallen off to remove them.
Scale insects
Scale insects Scale insects
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Solutions: Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay. When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options: Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew) Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Underwatering
Underwatering Underwatering
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Solutions: The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with. Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock. In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
icon
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
close
Brown spot
plant poor
Brown spot
This infection can cause brown spots or patches to appear on the plant.
Overview
Overview
Discolored spots on the foliage of plants are one of the most common disease problems people observe. These spots are caused by fungal and bacterial diseases, with most infections related to a fungal pathogen.
Brown spot can occurs on all houseplants, flowering ornamentals, vegetable plants, and leaves of trees, bushes, and shrubs. No plants are resistant to it, and the problem is worse in warm, wet environments. It can occur at any point in the life stage as long as leaves are present.
Small brownish spots appear on the foliage and enlarge as the disease progresses. In severe cases, the plant or tree is weakened when the lesions interrupt photosynthesis or cause defoliation.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
In most cases, brown spot only affects a small percentage of the whole plant, appearing on a small amount of the leaves. A small infection only puts minor stress on the plant. However, if left untreated and the disease progresses over numerous seasons, it will severely impact the health and productivity of the infected specimen.
  • Sporulation begins (reproduction of the fungal spores), and tiny spots appear on leaves.
  • Placement is often random and scattered as diseases are spread through raindrops.
  • May appear on lower leaves and the interior of the plant where humidity is higher.
  • Brown spots enlarge and grow large enough to touch neighboring spots to form a more prominent blotch.
  • Leaf margins may turn yellow.
  • Tiny black dots (fruiting bodies of the fungi) appear in the dead spots.
  • Blotches grow in size until the entire leaf is brown.
  • The leaf falls off the plant.
Severe Symptoms
  • Partial or complete premature defoliation
  • Reduced growth
  • Increased susceptibility to pests and other diseases
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Brown spot, or leaf spot, is a common descriptive term given to several diseases affecting the leaves of plants and trees. Around 85% of diseases exhibiting leaf spots are due to fungus or fungus-like organisms. Sometimes brown spot is caused by a bacterial infection, or insect activity with similar symptoms.
When conditions are warm and the leaf surfaces are wet, fungal spores being transported by wind or rain land on the surface and cling to it. They do not rupture the cell walls but grow in the space between the plant plasma membrane and the plant cell wall. As the spores reproduce, they release toxins and enzymes that cause necrotic spots (i.e., dead tissue) on the leaves, allowing the fungi to consume the products released when the cells degrade.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
qrcode
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Underwatering yellow
plant poor
Underwatering yellow
A lack of water will cause the leaves to gradually turn yellow starting at the base of the branch while the entire plant appears to wilt.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
Your plant’s leaves are turning yellow due to underwatering, the oldest leaves turn yellow first. Leaves yellow from the edges towards the middle. Other signs of underwatering include the soil feeling very dry or pulling away from the edge of its pot.
Solutions
Solutions
Your plant is very thirsty and needs water promptly.
  1. You can revive your plant by giving it water. The easiest technique is to slowly pour water into your plant’s soil so that the whole surface is moistened. If you pour the water too quickly, the water will flow directly through rather than diffusing throughout the soil. If your plant’s pot does not have drainage holes, do not give your plant more than about a third of the pot’s volume of water. If your plant’s pot does have drainage holes, you can add water slowly until the soil is thoroughly moistened and the water flows freely through the pot.
  2. If you trim off yellow leaves to improve the plant’s appearance, do not remove more than a third of the plant’s leaves. It may be better to wait until leaves have died and fallen off to remove them.
Prevention
Prevention
  1. When you get a new plant, research its specific watering needs. Set reminders so that you remember to water your plants consistently. Not all plants are the same, so make sure to differentiate all of your plants in your watering schedule.
  2. You may wish to purchase a commercial soil water meter which has a long probe that you place near your plant’s roots. Be sure to check it frequently and water your plant when the soil water meter indicates that it needs watering.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
qrcode
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Scale insects
plant poor
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Overview
Overview
Tiny, bumpy growths all over the stem of a plant is a classic sign of scale insects. These sucking insects bury their mouthparts into the leaves, fruit, or bark of trees, shrubs, and other plants. Over time, scale insects can severely damage their hosts.
Scale insects are not just one species of insects but instead are a large, diverse group of more than 8,000 individual species, including soft scales (brown soft scale, cottony maple scale, European elm scale) and armored scales (oystershell scale, euonymus scale, San Jose scale). These tiny pests may be between 3 to 10 mm in length and are closely related to whiteflies and aphids.
Despite the differences in size and appearance, the one thing that all scale insects have in common is that they grow beneath a wax covering. This covering looks somewhat like the scales of a fish or a reptile - hence the name. It protects the insect from harm.
Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants but are most common on herbaceous ornamental plants (both indoor and outdoor) as well as numerous species of shrubs and trees. Scale insects are easy to overlook, in part because they are so small and also because they do not look like actual insects. However, it is important to take action as soon as they are noticed to ensure the health of the plants.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The most obvious symptom is the presence of groups of the insects themselves, which look much like bumpy growths on plants, generally quite small (less than the size of a coin). Scale insects tend to cluster together and appear all at once.
The insects hatch from eggs inside these scales and develop through two growth stages before becoming adults. Once mature, adult females produce eggs that they hide beneath their bodies. These ultimately hatch into tiny crawlers, which are yellow to orange, and begin feeding within just a day or two. They suck sap through their needle-like mouthparts and will excrete a substance called honeydew behind them as they eat.
Since the scale insectss are subtle in appearance, symptoms in the host plants may be the first sign that is noticed. As the insects eat all the plant's nutrients, leaves will drop prematurely, and the growth of plants becomes stunted. Dead or browned leaves might remain for a long period of time on the scale-killed branches.
Sooty mold can also appear on infested plants, growing in the honeydew that the insects leave behind. It is a black fungus that is fluffy and unattractive. The sooty mold growth causes plants to yellow, since it interferes with the process of photosynthesis.
Solutions
Solutions
Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay.
When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options:
  • Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale
  • Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew)
  • Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations
  • Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
  • Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants
  • Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
qrcode
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Underwatering
plant poor
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Overview
Overview
Underwatering plants is one of the quickest ways to kill them. This is something that most gardeners are well aware of. Unfortunately, knowing exactly how much water a plant needs can be tricky, especially considering that underwatering and overwatering present similar symptoms in plants.
Therefore, it’s important to be vigilant and attentive to each plants’ individual needs.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
As mentioned earlier, overwatering and underwatering present similar symptoms in plants. These symptoms include poor growth, wilted leaves, defoliation, and brown leaf tips or margins. Ultimately, both underwatering and overwatering can lead to the death of a plant.
The easiest way to determine whether a plant has too much water or too little is to look at the leaves. If underwatering is the culprit, the leaves will look brown and crunchy, while if it’s overwatering, they will appear yellow or a pale green in color.
When this issue first begins, there may be no noticeable symptoms at all, particularly in hardy or drought-tolerant plants. However, they will begin to wilt once they start suffering from a lack of water. The edges of the plant’s leaves will become brown or curled. Soil pulling away from the edges of the planter is a telltale sign, or a crispy, brittle stem.
Prolonged underwatering can cause a plant’s growth to become stunted. The leaves might drop and the plant can be more susceptible to pest infestations, too.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Underwatering is caused by, quite simply, not watering plants often or deeply enough. There is a heightened risk of underwatering if any of these situations apply:
  • Extreme heat and dry weather (when growing outdoors)
  • Grow lights or indoor lighting that is too bright or intense for the type of plant
  • Using fast-draining growing media such as sand
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
qrcode
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
close
product icon
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
product icon
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
product icon
Nearly 5 years of research
product icon
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
ad
ad
Botanist in your pocket
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
About
Care Guide
More Info
Pests & Diseases
Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'
Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens'
Also known as: Lemon bottlebrush 'Splendens', Bottlebrush tree 'Splendens'
Callistemon 'Splendens' is a commonly grown cultivar of the plant genus Callistemon. It has a compact and rounded habit and usually grows to about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and wide, although it may grow taller. Large, well-displayed "brushes" are produced in late spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring at other times. New growth is pink-tinged and the leaves are elliptic and up to 90 mm long and 20 mm wide. The cultivar, which has been in grown for many years, is of uncertain origin. It was originally known as Callistemon citrinus var. splendens, first formally described in 1925 in Botanical Magazine. In 1970 it was promoted under the name 'Endeavour' to mark the bicentennial of James Cook's voyage to Australia on the Endeavour. It was registered under the name Callistemon 'Splendens' with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority in 1989. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
9 to 11
care guide

Care Guide for Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

icon
Know the light your plants really get.
Find the best spots for them to optimize their health, simply using your phone.
Download the App
close
bg bg
download btn
Download
plant_info

Key Facts About Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Attributes of Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Shrub
Plant Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
icon
Gain more valuable plant knowledge
Explore a rich botanical encyclopedia for deeper insights
Download the App

Scientific Classification of Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

icon
Never miss a care task again!
Plant care made easier than ever with our tailor-made smart care reminder.
Download the App
pests

Common Pests & Diseases About Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'

Common issues for Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens' based on 10 million real cases
Brown spot
Brown spot Brown spot Brown spot
This infection can cause brown spots or patches to appear on the plant.
Solutions: In minor cases of brown spot, there isn’t any need to treat the disease. However, if much of the foliage is affected and defoliation occurs, the plant will benefit from getting rid of the infection. It is recommended to start by applying organic treatment options, working up to the more potent synthetic, chemical fungicides if necessary. Organic options won’t kill the fungus, but will prevent it from spreading. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water. Using a spray bottle, spray on tops and bottoms of leaves until the mixture drips off. Repeat every two weeks until existing spots stop enlarging and new spots no longer appear. Spray a copper-based fungicidal soap on the leaves, coating the top and bottom leaf surfaces. Reapply as directed on the product label. Copper penetrates the leaf surface and prevents germination of spores so the fungus cannot spread. Apply an all-purpose fungicide to the entire plant, following the label instructions carefully.
Learn More About the Brown spot more
Underwatering yellow
Underwatering yellow Underwatering yellow Underwatering yellow
A lack of water will cause the leaves to gradually turn yellow starting at the base of the branch while the entire plant appears to wilt.
Solutions: Your plant is very thirsty and needs water promptly. You can revive your plant by giving it water. The easiest technique is to slowly pour water into your plant’s soil so that the whole surface is moistened. If you pour the water too quickly, the water will flow directly through rather than diffusing throughout the soil. If your plant’s pot does not have drainage holes, do not give your plant more than about a third of the pot’s volume of water. If your plant’s pot does have drainage holes, you can add water slowly until the soil is thoroughly moistened and the water flows freely through the pot. If you trim off yellow leaves to improve the plant’s appearance, do not remove more than a third of the plant’s leaves. It may be better to wait until leaves have died and fallen off to remove them.
Learn More About the Underwatering yellow more
Scale insects
Scale insects Scale insects Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Solutions: Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay. When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options: Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew) Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Learn More About the Scale insects more
Underwatering
Underwatering Underwatering Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Solutions: The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with. Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock. In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
Learn More About the Underwatering more
icon
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App
close
Brown spot
plant poor
Brown spot
This infection can cause brown spots or patches to appear on the plant.
Overview
Overview
Discolored spots on the foliage of plants are one of the most common disease problems people observe. These spots are caused by fungal and bacterial diseases, with most infections related to a fungal pathogen.
Brown spot can occurs on all houseplants, flowering ornamentals, vegetable plants, and leaves of trees, bushes, and shrubs. No plants are resistant to it, and the problem is worse in warm, wet environments. It can occur at any point in the life stage as long as leaves are present.
Small brownish spots appear on the foliage and enlarge as the disease progresses. In severe cases, the plant or tree is weakened when the lesions interrupt photosynthesis or cause defoliation.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
In most cases, brown spot only affects a small percentage of the whole plant, appearing on a small amount of the leaves. A small infection only puts minor stress on the plant. However, if left untreated and the disease progresses over numerous seasons, it will severely impact the health and productivity of the infected specimen.
  • Sporulation begins (reproduction of the fungal spores), and tiny spots appear on leaves.
  • Placement is often random and scattered as diseases are spread through raindrops.
  • May appear on lower leaves and the interior of the plant where humidity is higher.
  • Brown spots enlarge and grow large enough to touch neighboring spots to form a more prominent blotch.
  • Leaf margins may turn yellow.
  • Tiny black dots (fruiting bodies of the fungi) appear in the dead spots.
  • Blotches grow in size until the entire leaf is brown.
  • The leaf falls off the plant.
Severe Symptoms
  • Partial or complete premature defoliation
  • Reduced growth
  • Increased susceptibility to pests and other diseases
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Brown spot, or leaf spot, is a common descriptive term given to several diseases affecting the leaves of plants and trees. Around 85% of diseases exhibiting leaf spots are due to fungus or fungus-like organisms. Sometimes brown spot is caused by a bacterial infection, or insect activity with similar symptoms.
When conditions are warm and the leaf surfaces are wet, fungal spores being transported by wind or rain land on the surface and cling to it. They do not rupture the cell walls but grow in the space between the plant plasma membrane and the plant cell wall. As the spores reproduce, they release toxins and enzymes that cause necrotic spots (i.e., dead tissue) on the leaves, allowing the fungi to consume the products released when the cells degrade.
Solutions
Solutions
In minor cases of brown spot, there isn’t any need to treat the disease. However, if much of the foliage is affected and defoliation occurs, the plant will benefit from getting rid of the infection. It is recommended to start by applying organic treatment options, working up to the more potent synthetic, chemical fungicides if necessary.
Organic options won’t kill the fungus, but will prevent it from spreading.
  1. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water. Using a spray bottle, spray on tops and bottoms of leaves until the mixture drips off. Repeat every two weeks until existing spots stop enlarging and new spots no longer appear.
  2. Spray a copper-based fungicidal soap on the leaves, coating the top and bottom leaf surfaces. Reapply as directed on the product label. Copper penetrates the leaf surface and prevents germination of spores so the fungus cannot spread.
  3. Apply an all-purpose fungicide to the entire plant, following the label instructions carefully.
Prevention
Prevention
Like many other diseases, it is easier to prevent brown spot than cure it, and this is done through cultural practices.
  • Clear fall leaves from the ground before winter to minimize places where fungi and bacteria can overwinter.
  • Maintain good air movement between plants through proper plant spacing.
  • Increase air circulation through the center of plants through pruning.
  • Thoroughly clean all pruning tools after working with diseased plants.
  • Never dispose of disease plant material in a compost pile.
  • Avoid overhead watering to keep moisture off of the foliage.
  • Keep plants healthy by providing adequate sunlight, water, and fertilizer.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Underwatering yellow
plant poor
Underwatering yellow
A lack of water will cause the leaves to gradually turn yellow starting at the base of the branch while the entire plant appears to wilt.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
Your plant’s leaves are turning yellow due to underwatering, the oldest leaves turn yellow first. Leaves yellow from the edges towards the middle. Other signs of underwatering include the soil feeling very dry or pulling away from the edge of its pot.
Solutions
Solutions
Your plant is very thirsty and needs water promptly.
  1. You can revive your plant by giving it water. The easiest technique is to slowly pour water into your plant’s soil so that the whole surface is moistened. If you pour the water too quickly, the water will flow directly through rather than diffusing throughout the soil. If your plant’s pot does not have drainage holes, do not give your plant more than about a third of the pot’s volume of water. If your plant’s pot does have drainage holes, you can add water slowly until the soil is thoroughly moistened and the water flows freely through the pot.
  2. If you trim off yellow leaves to improve the plant’s appearance, do not remove more than a third of the plant’s leaves. It may be better to wait until leaves have died and fallen off to remove them.
Prevention
Prevention
  1. When you get a new plant, research its specific watering needs. Set reminders so that you remember to water your plants consistently. Not all plants are the same, so make sure to differentiate all of your plants in your watering schedule.
  2. You may wish to purchase a commercial soil water meter which has a long probe that you place near your plant’s roots. Be sure to check it frequently and water your plant when the soil water meter indicates that it needs watering.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Scale insects
plant poor
Scale insects
Scale insects are generally 2 to 3 mm across and can be found in a range of colors. They often cluster near leaf veins and can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Overview
Overview
Tiny, bumpy growths all over the stem of a plant is a classic sign of scale insects. These sucking insects bury their mouthparts into the leaves, fruit, or bark of trees, shrubs, and other plants. Over time, scale insects can severely damage their hosts.
Scale insects are not just one species of insects but instead are a large, diverse group of more than 8,000 individual species, including soft scales (brown soft scale, cottony maple scale, European elm scale) and armored scales (oystershell scale, euonymus scale, San Jose scale). These tiny pests may be between 3 to 10 mm in length and are closely related to whiteflies and aphids.
Despite the differences in size and appearance, the one thing that all scale insects have in common is that they grow beneath a wax covering. This covering looks somewhat like the scales of a fish or a reptile - hence the name. It protects the insect from harm.
Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants but are most common on herbaceous ornamental plants (both indoor and outdoor) as well as numerous species of shrubs and trees. Scale insects are easy to overlook, in part because they are so small and also because they do not look like actual insects. However, it is important to take action as soon as they are noticed to ensure the health of the plants.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The most obvious symptom is the presence of groups of the insects themselves, which look much like bumpy growths on plants, generally quite small (less than the size of a coin). Scale insects tend to cluster together and appear all at once.
The insects hatch from eggs inside these scales and develop through two growth stages before becoming adults. Once mature, adult females produce eggs that they hide beneath their bodies. These ultimately hatch into tiny crawlers, which are yellow to orange, and begin feeding within just a day or two. They suck sap through their needle-like mouthparts and will excrete a substance called honeydew behind them as they eat.
Since the scale insectss are subtle in appearance, symptoms in the host plants may be the first sign that is noticed. As the insects eat all the plant's nutrients, leaves will drop prematurely, and the growth of plants becomes stunted. Dead or browned leaves might remain for a long period of time on the scale-killed branches.
Sooty mold can also appear on infested plants, growing in the honeydew that the insects leave behind. It is a black fungus that is fluffy and unattractive. The sooty mold growth causes plants to yellow, since it interferes with the process of photosynthesis.
Solutions
Solutions
Outdoors, the weather and natural enemies of scale insects (such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps) typically keep these pests at bay.
When their numbers become abundant (or when scale insects affect indoor plants), interventions are needed. Here are some options:
  • Dip a cotton swab in 80% isopropyl alcohol and run it over the leaves and stems to remove scale
  • Wash leaves with a mild detergent solution (this also removes honeydew)
  • Inspect plants weekly for additional infestations
  • Use spot treatments of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
  • Remove the plant if a heavy infestation cannot be eliminated – this will prevent it from spreading to other plants
  • Take steps to control ants that may have been attracted to the insects' honeydew
Prevention
Prevention
To prevent scale insects from affecting plants, take the following steps:
  • Carefully inspect plants before purchasing, checking every stem and leaf for signs of scale
  • Make traps for new insects by leaving double-sided tape near stems and branches
  • Ensure that plants have a good growing environment, monitoring both moisture and sunlight levels
  • Introduce small parasitic wasps and other predators to the garden
  • Rinse small plants when foliage becomes dusty
  • Prune weak areas of a plant to eliminate potential infestation hot spots
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Underwatering
plant poor
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Overview
Overview
Underwatering plants is one of the quickest ways to kill them. This is something that most gardeners are well aware of. Unfortunately, knowing exactly how much water a plant needs can be tricky, especially considering that underwatering and overwatering present similar symptoms in plants.
Therefore, it’s important to be vigilant and attentive to each plants’ individual needs.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
As mentioned earlier, overwatering and underwatering present similar symptoms in plants. These symptoms include poor growth, wilted leaves, defoliation, and brown leaf tips or margins. Ultimately, both underwatering and overwatering can lead to the death of a plant.
The easiest way to determine whether a plant has too much water or too little is to look at the leaves. If underwatering is the culprit, the leaves will look brown and crunchy, while if it’s overwatering, they will appear yellow or a pale green in color.
When this issue first begins, there may be no noticeable symptoms at all, particularly in hardy or drought-tolerant plants. However, they will begin to wilt once they start suffering from a lack of water. The edges of the plant’s leaves will become brown or curled. Soil pulling away from the edges of the planter is a telltale sign, or a crispy, brittle stem.
Prolonged underwatering can cause a plant’s growth to become stunted. The leaves might drop and the plant can be more susceptible to pest infestations, too.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Underwatering is caused by, quite simply, not watering plants often or deeply enough. There is a heightened risk of underwatering if any of these situations apply:
  • Extreme heat and dry weather (when growing outdoors)
  • Grow lights or indoor lighting that is too bright or intense for the type of plant
  • Using fast-draining growing media such as sand
Solutions
Solutions
The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with.
Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock.
In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
Prevention
Prevention
Always check the soil before watering. If the top inch of soil feels moist, though not wet, the watering is perfect. If it’s dry, water it immediately. If it feels soggy, you avoid watering until it dries out a bit more.
Also, make sure the lighting is sufficient for the species. Plants grow faster and need more water when there is intense light or lots of heat. Being aware of these conditions and modifying them, if possible, is a good way to prevent underwatering. Many container plants are potted in soil mixtures mean to be well-draining. Adding materials that retain moisture, like compost or peat moss, can also prevent these symptoms.
Other tips to prevent underwatering include:
  • Choose pots with adequately-sized drainage holes
  • Avoid warm temperatures
  • Use large pots with additional soil (these take longer to dry out)
  • Avoid terracotta pots, which lose water quickly
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
product icon close
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
product icon
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
product icon
Nearly 5 years of research
product icon
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
ad
product icon close
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Cookie Management Tool
In addition to managing cookies through your browser or device, you can change your cookie settings below.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies help us to improve our application/website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_ga Google Analytics These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here. 1 Year
_pta PictureThis Analytics We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_ga
Source
Google Analytics
Purpose
These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_pta
Source
PictureThis Analytics
Purpose
We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience.
Lifespan
1 Year
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies are used by advertising companies to serve ads that are relevant to your interests.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_fbp Facebook Pixel A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here. 1 Year
_adj Adjust This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_fbp
Source
Facebook Pixel
Purpose
A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_adj
Source
Adjust
Purpose
This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year
This page looks better in the app
Open