Common issues for Chinese fringe flower 'Fire Dance' based on 10 million real cases
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
Leaf scorch
Leaf blight causes leaves to dry out and turn brown starting at their tips.
Solutions: The solution to leaf scorch will depend on the cause, however, in general all cultural care methods that improve plant health and root functionality will reduce symptoms. Mulching the root zone (preferably with wood chip mulch) helps retain moisture, reduce evaporation, and promotes a healthy, functional root environment that is critical for water movement to the leaves. Check the root collar for girdling or circling roots that strangle the trunk and limit water and nutrient movement. Protect trees from severe root damage of nearby construction and excavation. If fertilizer burn is to blame, irrigate the soil deeply to flush out excess fertilizer salts. However, keep in mind that fertilizer runoff is an environmental pollutant. Avoiding excess fertilization in the first place is the best approach. If soil testing has revealed a potassium deficiency, apply a potassium fertilizer and water well. Even if you have enough potassium in the soil, plants will not be able to take it up if the soil is consistently too dry. Severely affected twigs may be removed using a pair of sharp and sanitized pruning shears, as weakened branches are susceptible to secondary infections. If your plant has bacterial leaf scorch, there is no cure. Antibiotic injections applied by a professional can reduce symptoms for a season, however, the above cultural management methods are the best options to reduce symptoms and prolong life. An infected plant will likely die within ten years.
Learn More About the Leaf scorch
Sap-sucking insects
Sap-sucking insects can create dense clusters of small yellow or white spots on the leaves.
Solutions: Sap-sucking insects can be hard to spot, as they are often small and attach to the undersides of plant leaves. If you see signs of an infestation, follow these steps to eradicate it. Hand-pick bugs and remove eggs: Inspect your plants for insects and drop any you find in a container of soapy water. Look carefully at the undersides of plant leaves and squish any egg clusters you find. Use Insecticide: Targeted spraying can take out sap-sucking insects. Small infestations can be controlled with insecticidal soap, though larger outbreaks might require a stronger spray. Introduce natural predators: Many insects, including ladybugs and praying mantises, love to feast on sap-suckers. You can purchase them at garden stores and release them near infected plants, or encourage wild ones by creating habitat space.
Learn More About the Sap-sucking insects
Sooty mold
Sooty mildew causes black mold on the leaves that can be wiped away.
Solutions: The first step in treating the plant is to eradicate the insects that secrete the honeydew substance. Visually inspect the plant for insects, making sure to look on the underside of leaves and in the crotch of branches. Insects that may be present are as follows: Aphids are minuscule pear-shaped bugs. Most are green in color. Whiteflies are pale in color, almost translucent, and are covered with a powdery whitish wax. They may look like tiny white moths. Scale appears as small brown bumps attached to the leaves and branches, with either a soft or armored coating. Mealybugs are small white insects that look like cotton wool. To treat insect infestation, follow these steps: Handpick insects off if the infestation is minor. Wipe plant leaves gently with a clean, damp cloth or spray with a jet of water from the hose to dislodge them. Treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil for serious infestations. The fatty acids in insecticidal soaps suffocate small-bodied insects. Neem oil is a common botanical pesticide that blocks the hormones that transition insects from larva to pupa to adult, halting the insect’s life cycle. Once the insect infestation has been treated, remove as much mold from the leaves as possible. The remaining mold will dry out due to the lack of honeydew and will fall off the plant. Wash with insecticidal or very dilute dishwashing soap. Apply a couple of hours before rain is predicted, if possible. The soap will help soften the soot, making it easier to rinse it away. Spray plants with a steady stream of water.
Learn More About the Sooty mold
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App for Free