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
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Calluna vulgaris 'Joy Vanstone'
Also known as : Ling 'Joy Vanstone', Summer heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
4 to 6
care guide

Care Guide for Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback
Watering Care
Watering Care
Details on Watering Care Watering Care
Soil Care
Soil Care
Sand, Clay, Acidic
Details on Soil Care Soil Care
Ideal Lighting
Ideal Lighting
Full sun, Partial sun
Details on Sunlight Requirements Ideal Lighting
Ideal Temperature
Ideal Temperature
4 to 6
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
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Sunlight
Sunlight
Full sun
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
4 to 6
plant_info

Key Facts About Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback

Attributes of Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Shrub
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
5 - 25 ℃

Scientific Classification of Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

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 Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback
Common issues for Common heather 'Joy Vanstone' based on 10 million real cases
Petal blight
Petal blight Petal blight
Petal blight
Bacterial infections can cause flowers to become soft and rotten.
Solutions: Like other fungal diseases, the progression of petal blight is extremely difficult to stop and impossible to reverse once it infects a plant. The best course of action is to remove all damaged flowers immediately and dispose of them entirely. Do not put them in the compost pile, where spores could grow and spread.
Plant dried up
Plant dried up Plant dried up
Plant dried up
The entire plant may dry out due to dieback or normal seasonal dormancy.
Solutions: The solution for a dried out plant depends on the cause, so determine the cause before selecting a treatment method. Adjust your watering: Stick your finger in the soil near the roots. If it feels bone dry or overly saturated, you need to adjust your watering frequency accordingly. Prune back dead foliage: Snip off any brown stems and leaves on the plant to make space for new growth. This encourages the roots to send up fresh stems. Move to a proper environment. This may involve decreasing or increasing sun exposure, depending on the species. Decrease fertilizer applications. If you have applied too much fertilizer, you can repot plants with fresh potting soil. Wait. If your plant has dried out as daylight is decreasing, it is entering dormancy. Decrease watering and wait until the plant resumes growth.
Aged yellow and dry
Aged yellow and dry Aged yellow and dry
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Solutions: If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Fire ants
Fire ants Fire ants
Fire ants
Fire ants gnaw on the roots of plants and are aggressive toward people.
Solutions: Caution: fire ants are venomous and cause painful bites which can be fatal in the case of a rare but significant allergy. Fire ants can be a painful pest to have around for you and your plants. Keeping them under control will ensure comfortable gardening for all. For less severe cases: Physically remove mounds. Dig out and remove entire mounds (remember, they go deeper than they seem). Use citrus oil. Pour citrus oil, which is toxic to fire ants, down their holes. For severe cases: Use ant bait. For a chemical solution, broadcast insecticide bait formulated for fire ants in the area around a mound. Apply the bait during a dry evening so the ants can forage for it at night. Look for products that contain Indoxacarb. Release phorid flies. Introduce or promote beneficial phorid flies to gardens. These parasitic flies attack invasive fire ants. Hire a professional. Some ant baits are only available to professional exterminators. For serious cases of fire ants, consider hiring a professional.
icon
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
close
Petal blight
plant poor
Petal blight
Bacterial infections can cause flowers to become soft and rotten.
Overview
Overview
Petal blight, sometimes called flower blight, is a fungal disease that only affects the blooms of some ornamental flowering plants. As the infection progresses, it destroys the flower, yet it never damages the vegetative or green parts of the plant.
When flowers are infected, the symptoms look similar to Botrytis blight, but Botrytis also infects dead or dormant vegetative tissue.
The disease was first discovered in Japanese plants in 1919 and in the US in the late 1930s. Presently it is also found in New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Europe. Unfortunately, no plants have high resistance to petal blight, but specific cultivars are more susceptible than others, particularly species with double blooms.
Petal blight infection rates are high when temperatures are mild to warm (optimum temperatures are 15 to 21 ℃) and the weather is misty or rainy.
Overall, petal blight is an aesthetic problem that ruins blossoms. The disease is not harmful to the long-term health of the plant.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The severity of the symptoms varies, depending upon the species of plant infected. Signs of petal blight are commonly seen on the blooms just after they open.
  • Pallid spots on colored petals.
  • Brown spots on white petals.
  • Browning around the petal edges.
  • Small spots look water-soaked.
  • Spots rapidly enlarge and merge.
  • Flowers become limp.
  • The entire flower turns light brown, but does not crumble.
  • Flowers become slimy at first and then take on a leathery texture.
  • A ring of white or gray mycelium can be seen at the base of the petals.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Petal blight is caused by several different fungi, with each type infecting specific plants. Ovulinia azalea infects azaleas species and cultivars, and rhododendrons. Ciborinia camelliae infects camellia cultivars.
Shortly after blooming, the fungus infects the base of the flowers by the calyx. The fungus produces cell wall-degrading enzymes that destroy flowers within a couple of days. When the flowers fall to the ground, the fungus' hard fruiting bodies fall to the soil as well, overwintering until the following spring.
When temperatures hit the optimum range the following season, spores are transmitted by insects or can spread on wind currents up to about 12 miles. Once in the soil, the pathogen can be active for three to five years.
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
Plant dried up
plant poor
Plant dried up
The entire plant may dry out due to dieback or normal seasonal dormancy.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
Your plant has dried out and turned brown. It might be starting to wilt, with no noticeable green around the stems and leaves. Touch the leaves, and they may crinkle under your fingers.
Possible causes of a dried out plant include:
  1. Not enough water. A lack of water will lead to dry plant tissue.
  2. Too much water. Watering too much can lead to root rot which makes the plant struggle to take up water. Rotted, mushy roots are a sign of overeating.
  3. Entering dormancy. As perennial plants enter their resting period known as dormancy, their leaves dry out and may fall off. This happens during decreasing day length.
  4. Exposure to herbicides and other toxic substances. If a plant is hit with a large dose herbicide or other toxic chemical, the plant will turn brown.
  5. Too much fertility. An excess of fertilizer can prevent plants from taking up water, leading to drying.
  6. Improper sun exposure. Just like humans, plants can get sunburn by intense, direct light. Plants can also dry out if they don’t receive enough light.
To determine whether the plant is still alive and can be saved, you can:
  1. Bend a stem. If the stem is pliable, the plant is still alive. If the stem breaks, the plant is dead.
  2. Gently scratch the stem with your fingernail for signs of green inside. If your plant is dead, the stem will be brittle and brown throughout.
  3. Cut the stems back a little bit a time for visible green growth. If none of the stems have visible green growth, the plant is dead.
Solutions
Solutions
The solution for a dried out plant depends on the cause, so determine the cause before selecting a treatment method.
  1. Adjust your watering: Stick your finger in the soil near the roots. If it feels bone dry or overly saturated, you need to adjust your watering frequency accordingly.
  2. Prune back dead foliage: Snip off any brown stems and leaves on the plant to make space for new growth. This encourages the roots to send up fresh stems.
  3. Move to a proper environment. This may involve decreasing or increasing sun exposure, depending on the species.
  4. Decrease fertilizer applications. If you have applied too much fertilizer, you can repot plants with fresh potting soil.
  5. Wait. If your plant has dried out as daylight is decreasing, it is entering dormancy. Decrease watering and wait until the plant resumes growth.
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention involves providing your plant with the proper environment.
  1. Provide the proper amount of water. The amount of water depends on a plant’s size, species, and environment. A general rule is to allow soil to dry out between waterings.
  2. Place plants in the proper environment. Provide the proper hours of sun and temperature for your individual plant.
  3. Provide proper fertility. Most plants only need to be fertilized once or twice a year; don’t overapply.
  4. Keep plants free from toxic substances. Keep herbicides and toxic household chemicals away from your plants.
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
Aged yellow and dry
plant poor
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Overview
Overview
Regardless of the type of plant or where it is grown, at some point, it will begin to aged yellow and dry. This is a natural, unavoidable process that happens when the plant has completed all of the steps in its life.
Annual plants go through this process at the end of a single growing season. Perennial plants live for multiple years, if not tens or hundreds of years, but will still ultimately exhibit these symptoms.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
When plants have progressed through their natural developmental stages and are nearing the end of their lifecycle, they begin showing signs of decline. Leaves will start to yellow and droop, and over time they turn papery brown and dry.
Once completely dry, the leaves begin to fall from the plant until the entire plant has dried out.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
At the end of its life, genetic coding within the plant increases the production of ethylene, a phytohormone that controls senescence or natural aging and death. Cell division stops, and the plant begins catabolizing resources to use in other parts of the plant.
As this happens, the tissues begin yellow and drying until the entire plant is desiccated and perishes.
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
Fire ants
plant poor
Fire ants
Fire ants gnaw on the roots of plants and are aggressive toward people.
Overview
Overview
Fire ants are a group of ants that are known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings. Some fire ants are native and others are invasive from other countries. Once they reach plants, they climb them and chew away at leaves and flower buds.
Fire ants also kill and eat beneficial insects such as caterpillars, ladybugs, mantis, and native ants. They can be a problem any time temperatures are above freezing, but new infestations are most likely to appear when brought in via contaminated material such as potting soil or mulch, or when insecticides have harmed populations of beneficial insects that would otherwise control populations of fire ants.
They can be difficult to control, especially once populations become large. Plant damage is typically minor, but fire ants can destroy seedlings.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The number one symptom of fire ants is seeing the ants themselves which are red or black in color. Ant mounds in the ground are also signs. Fire ant mounds rarely exceed 46 cm in diameter. If a fire ant mound is disturbed, many fast-moving, aggressive ants will emerge. These ants will bite and then painfully sting.
Even if no ants are visible, their damage might be apparent. Chewed leaf and flower edges might indicate fire ants. Fully eaten seedlings are another sign.
Solutions
Solutions
Caution: fire ants are venomous and cause painful bites which can be fatal in the case of a rare but significant allergy.
Fire ants can be a painful pest to have around for you and your plants. Keeping them under control will ensure comfortable gardening for all.
For less severe cases:
  • Physically remove mounds. Dig out and remove entire mounds (remember, they go deeper than they seem).
  • Use citrus oil. Pour citrus oil, which is toxic to fire ants, down their holes.
For severe cases:
  • Use ant bait. For a chemical solution, broadcast insecticide bait formulated for fire ants in the area around a mound. Apply the bait during a dry evening so the ants can forage for it at night. Look for products that contain Indoxacarb.
  • Release phorid flies. Introduce or promote beneficial phorid flies to gardens. These parasitic flies attack invasive fire ants.
  • Hire a professional. Some ant baits are only available to professional exterminators. For serious cases of fire ants, consider hiring a professional.
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
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Calluna vulgaris 'Joy Vanstone'
Also known as: Ling 'Joy Vanstone', Summer heather 'Joy Vanstone'
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness Zones
4 to 6
care guide

Care Guide for Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback
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 Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback

Attributes of Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Shrub
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
5 - 25 ℃
icon
Gain more valuable plant knowledge
Explore a rich botanical encyclopedia for deeper insights
Download the App

Scientific Classification of Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

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 Common heather 'Joy Vanstone'

feedback
Feedback
feedback
Common issues for Common heather 'Joy Vanstone' based on 10 million real cases
Petal blight
Petal blight Petal blight Petal blight
Bacterial infections can cause flowers to become soft and rotten.
Solutions: Like other fungal diseases, the progression of petal blight is extremely difficult to stop and impossible to reverse once it infects a plant. The best course of action is to remove all damaged flowers immediately and dispose of them entirely. Do not put them in the compost pile, where spores could grow and spread.
Learn More About the Petal blight more
Plant dried up
Plant dried up Plant dried up Plant dried up
The entire plant may dry out due to dieback or normal seasonal dormancy.
Solutions: The solution for a dried out plant depends on the cause, so determine the cause before selecting a treatment method. Adjust your watering: Stick your finger in the soil near the roots. If it feels bone dry or overly saturated, you need to adjust your watering frequency accordingly. Prune back dead foliage: Snip off any brown stems and leaves on the plant to make space for new growth. This encourages the roots to send up fresh stems. Move to a proper environment. This may involve decreasing or increasing sun exposure, depending on the species. Decrease fertilizer applications. If you have applied too much fertilizer, you can repot plants with fresh potting soil. Wait. If your plant has dried out as daylight is decreasing, it is entering dormancy. Decrease watering and wait until the plant resumes growth.
Learn More About the Plant dried up more
Aged yellow and dry
Aged yellow and dry Aged yellow and dry Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Solutions: If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Learn More About the Aged yellow and dry more
Fire ants
Fire ants Fire ants Fire ants
Fire ants gnaw on the roots of plants and are aggressive toward people.
Solutions: Caution: fire ants are venomous and cause painful bites which can be fatal in the case of a rare but significant allergy. Fire ants can be a painful pest to have around for you and your plants. Keeping them under control will ensure comfortable gardening for all. For less severe cases: Physically remove mounds. Dig out and remove entire mounds (remember, they go deeper than they seem). Use citrus oil. Pour citrus oil, which is toxic to fire ants, down their holes. For severe cases: Use ant bait. For a chemical solution, broadcast insecticide bait formulated for fire ants in the area around a mound. Apply the bait during a dry evening so the ants can forage for it at night. Look for products that contain Indoxacarb. Release phorid flies. Introduce or promote beneficial phorid flies to gardens. These parasitic flies attack invasive fire ants. Hire a professional. Some ant baits are only available to professional exterminators. For serious cases of fire ants, consider hiring a professional.
Learn More About the Fire ants more
icon
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App
close
Petal blight
plant poor
Petal blight
Bacterial infections can cause flowers to become soft and rotten.
Overview
Overview
Petal blight, sometimes called flower blight, is a fungal disease that only affects the blooms of some ornamental flowering plants. As the infection progresses, it destroys the flower, yet it never damages the vegetative or green parts of the plant.
When flowers are infected, the symptoms look similar to Botrytis blight, but Botrytis also infects dead or dormant vegetative tissue.
The disease was first discovered in Japanese plants in 1919 and in the US in the late 1930s. Presently it is also found in New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Europe. Unfortunately, no plants have high resistance to petal blight, but specific cultivars are more susceptible than others, particularly species with double blooms.
Petal blight infection rates are high when temperatures are mild to warm (optimum temperatures are 15 to 21 ℃) and the weather is misty or rainy.
Overall, petal blight is an aesthetic problem that ruins blossoms. The disease is not harmful to the long-term health of the plant.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The severity of the symptoms varies, depending upon the species of plant infected. Signs of petal blight are commonly seen on the blooms just after they open.
  • Pallid spots on colored petals.
  • Brown spots on white petals.
  • Browning around the petal edges.
  • Small spots look water-soaked.
  • Spots rapidly enlarge and merge.
  • Flowers become limp.
  • The entire flower turns light brown, but does not crumble.
  • Flowers become slimy at first and then take on a leathery texture.
  • A ring of white or gray mycelium can be seen at the base of the petals.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
Petal blight is caused by several different fungi, with each type infecting specific plants. Ovulinia azalea infects azaleas species and cultivars, and rhododendrons. Ciborinia camelliae infects camellia cultivars.
Shortly after blooming, the fungus infects the base of the flowers by the calyx. The fungus produces cell wall-degrading enzymes that destroy flowers within a couple of days. When the flowers fall to the ground, the fungus' hard fruiting bodies fall to the soil as well, overwintering until the following spring.
When temperatures hit the optimum range the following season, spores are transmitted by insects or can spread on wind currents up to about 12 miles. Once in the soil, the pathogen can be active for three to five years.
Solutions
Solutions
Like other fungal diseases, the progression of petal blight is extremely difficult to stop and impossible to reverse once it infects a plant. The best course of action is to remove all damaged flowers immediately and dispose of them entirely. Do not put them in the compost pile, where spores could grow and spread.
Prevention
Prevention
  • Apply a preventative dose of fungicide as soon as blooms start to show color on the plant. The preventative can be applied as a soil drench or directly to the flowers on the plant.
  • Avoid overhead watering during blooming.
  • Remove any leaf litter and dead flowers at the end of the season.
  • Cover the ground under infected plants with 4” of fresh organic mulch before winter, taking care not to disturb the infected soil.
  • Buy bare-root specimens when available.
  • When potted plants are purchased, remove the top layer of potting soil and replace it with fresh mulch.
  • Plant cultivars that bloom early in the season before the temperatures get high enough for petal blight pathogens to be spreading.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Plant dried up
plant poor
Plant dried up
The entire plant may dry out due to dieback or normal seasonal dormancy.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
Your plant has dried out and turned brown. It might be starting to wilt, with no noticeable green around the stems and leaves. Touch the leaves, and they may crinkle under your fingers.
Possible causes of a dried out plant include:
  1. Not enough water. A lack of water will lead to dry plant tissue.
  2. Too much water. Watering too much can lead to root rot which makes the plant struggle to take up water. Rotted, mushy roots are a sign of overeating.
  3. Entering dormancy. As perennial plants enter their resting period known as dormancy, their leaves dry out and may fall off. This happens during decreasing day length.
  4. Exposure to herbicides and other toxic substances. If a plant is hit with a large dose herbicide or other toxic chemical, the plant will turn brown.
  5. Too much fertility. An excess of fertilizer can prevent plants from taking up water, leading to drying.
  6. Improper sun exposure. Just like humans, plants can get sunburn by intense, direct light. Plants can also dry out if they don’t receive enough light.
To determine whether the plant is still alive and can be saved, you can:
  1. Bend a stem. If the stem is pliable, the plant is still alive. If the stem breaks, the plant is dead.
  2. Gently scratch the stem with your fingernail for signs of green inside. If your plant is dead, the stem will be brittle and brown throughout.
  3. Cut the stems back a little bit a time for visible green growth. If none of the stems have visible green growth, the plant is dead.
Solutions
Solutions
The solution for a dried out plant depends on the cause, so determine the cause before selecting a treatment method.
  1. Adjust your watering: Stick your finger in the soil near the roots. If it feels bone dry or overly saturated, you need to adjust your watering frequency accordingly.
  2. Prune back dead foliage: Snip off any brown stems and leaves on the plant to make space for new growth. This encourages the roots to send up fresh stems.
  3. Move to a proper environment. This may involve decreasing or increasing sun exposure, depending on the species.
  4. Decrease fertilizer applications. If you have applied too much fertilizer, you can repot plants with fresh potting soil.
  5. Wait. If your plant has dried out as daylight is decreasing, it is entering dormancy. Decrease watering and wait until the plant resumes growth.
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention involves providing your plant with the proper environment.
  1. Provide the proper amount of water. The amount of water depends on a plant’s size, species, and environment. A general rule is to allow soil to dry out between waterings.
  2. Place plants in the proper environment. Provide the proper hours of sun and temperature for your individual plant.
  3. Provide proper fertility. Most plants only need to be fertilized once or twice a year; don’t overapply.
  4. Keep plants free from toxic substances. Keep herbicides and toxic household chemicals away from your plants.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Aged yellow and dry
plant poor
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Overview
Overview
Regardless of the type of plant or where it is grown, at some point, it will begin to aged yellow and dry. This is a natural, unavoidable process that happens when the plant has completed all of the steps in its life.
Annual plants go through this process at the end of a single growing season. Perennial plants live for multiple years, if not tens or hundreds of years, but will still ultimately exhibit these symptoms.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
When plants have progressed through their natural developmental stages and are nearing the end of their lifecycle, they begin showing signs of decline. Leaves will start to yellow and droop, and over time they turn papery brown and dry.
Once completely dry, the leaves begin to fall from the plant until the entire plant has dried out.
Disease Cause
Disease Cause
At the end of its life, genetic coding within the plant increases the production of ethylene, a phytohormone that controls senescence or natural aging and death. Cell division stops, and the plant begins catabolizing resources to use in other parts of the plant.
As this happens, the tissues begin yellow and drying until the entire plant is desiccated and perishes.
Solutions
Solutions
If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Prevention
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent plants from dying of “old age.” To help prolong their life, and put off symptoms of aged yellow and dry for as long as possible, take care of them by giving them enough water, fertilizing them appropriately, and making sure they get enough sunlight.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
close
Fire ants
plant poor
Fire ants
Fire ants gnaw on the roots of plants and are aggressive toward people.
Overview
Overview
Fire ants are a group of ants that are known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings. Some fire ants are native and others are invasive from other countries. Once they reach plants, they climb them and chew away at leaves and flower buds.
Fire ants also kill and eat beneficial insects such as caterpillars, ladybugs, mantis, and native ants. They can be a problem any time temperatures are above freezing, but new infestations are most likely to appear when brought in via contaminated material such as potting soil or mulch, or when insecticides have harmed populations of beneficial insects that would otherwise control populations of fire ants.
They can be difficult to control, especially once populations become large. Plant damage is typically minor, but fire ants can destroy seedlings.
Symptom Analysis
Symptom Analysis
The number one symptom of fire ants is seeing the ants themselves which are red or black in color. Ant mounds in the ground are also signs. Fire ant mounds rarely exceed 46 cm in diameter. If a fire ant mound is disturbed, many fast-moving, aggressive ants will emerge. These ants will bite and then painfully sting.
Even if no ants are visible, their damage might be apparent. Chewed leaf and flower edges might indicate fire ants. Fully eaten seedlings are another sign.
Solutions
Solutions
Caution: fire ants are venomous and cause painful bites which can be fatal in the case of a rare but significant allergy.
Fire ants can be a painful pest to have around for you and your plants. Keeping them under control will ensure comfortable gardening for all.
For less severe cases:
  • Physically remove mounds. Dig out and remove entire mounds (remember, they go deeper than they seem).
  • Use citrus oil. Pour citrus oil, which is toxic to fire ants, down their holes.
For severe cases:
  • Use ant bait. For a chemical solution, broadcast insecticide bait formulated for fire ants in the area around a mound. Apply the bait during a dry evening so the ants can forage for it at night. Look for products that contain Indoxacarb.
  • Release phorid flies. Introduce or promote beneficial phorid flies to gardens. These parasitic flies attack invasive fire ants.
  • Hire a professional. Some ant baits are only available to professional exterminators. For serious cases of fire ants, consider hiring a professional.
Prevention
Prevention
Fire ants become more difficult to control as they establish themselves, so try to prevent them or treat them early.
  • Monitor new material. Do not bring in any soil or plants from known infested areas, unless if they are "Quarantine Approved." Make sure to check new material for fire ants.
  • Apply insecticide. Some warm and humid areas have high fire ants populations. In these areas, spread a granular fire ants insecticide such as Varsity in the spring near gardens to prevent these unwelcome visitors.
  • Treat early. Spot treat at the first sight of any fire ants mound, as larger mounds are more difficult to treat.
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