Dracaena hung leaves what to do. Dracaena - diseases and treatment with a photo. Dracaena in natural and domestic conditions
Typical diseases of dracaena and their effective treatment with an explanation from professional flower growers. Photo attached.
Why do dracaena drop leaves? Causes may be the following: the plant goes through a period of acclimatization after purchase, a transplant was carried out with soil replacement, which violated the integrity of the root system, and the irrigation mode was incorrect.
Only a purchased plant must undergo a period of acclimatization under the new conditions. Dracaena is no exception. The level of illumination in the new room, humidity and air temperature - all this can affect the well-being of the flower. No need to worry if dracaena is only purchased and it has lowered leaves. For prevention, you need to inspect the plant carefully. If there are no pests on it, the root system is in order, the trunk does not rot - there is no need to take drastic measures. Experts recommend not replanting the flower within 1 month after purchase. After this period, transplant by transshipment and strictly follow the rules for caring for dracaena. As practice shows, all dracaena lower the leaves after the purchase. This is a normal occurrence. In a healthy flower, only the crown, that is, young leaves, will look up.
Dracaena dropped leaves immediately after transplantation. This indicates a violation of the root system of the flower, namely, very thin roots that form a spider web at the bottom of the pot. They are involved in plant nutrition and provide the plant with water. It is not recommended to transplant dracaena in a complete replacement of the soil. She is more likely to transship in a larger pot. Thus, the root system will not be injured.
However, if the transplant has already been carried out and the dracaena has lowered the leaves, while its lower leaves can turn yellow intensively, the following steps need to be performed: spray the flower with a cyclone (4 drops of the drug per 1 liter of water) and place it under the greenhouse or a spacious cap. Leaves should not touch the walls of the greenhouse. At the same time, watering is significantly reduced. Before the next watering, the ground in the pot should completely dry (you can 1 time in 2-3 weeks). On the contrary, it is necessary to spray the flower very often with ordinary water in order to maintain high humidity under the greenhouse. The number of sprayings depends on the room temperature. The colder the less often. Cycron can only be used once a week. At the first watering, the cyclone must be added to the water for irrigation. This stimulates the growth of the root system. After a transplant with a violation of the root system, dracaena lacks moisture. At the same time, intensive watering will lead to decay of the root system. The plant will replenish the lack of moisture through the crown. That is why in a greenhouse they maintain high humidity.
Why did the dracaena drop its leaves? Reason: Wrong watering mode. In the first case, the amount of moisture is simply not enough for the plant to maintain normal leaf turgor. In the second - there is too much moisture, which led to the decay of the root system. Through damaged roots, the plant also does not receive enough moisture. Increasing the number of irrigations will not solve the problem.
If dracaena lowered leaves due to lack of moisture, what should I do? It is necessary to place the flower under the greenhouse and conduct regular spraying. It is impossible to sharply increase the amount of watering, as this will harm the roots. Keep the plant under the greenhouse for 3-5 days. Watering the flower should be plentiful, but only after the earth coma is completely dry. Water from the pan must be removed.
Dracaena gets an excess of moisture. As a result, the root system does not cope with an excess of fluid and begins to rot. Damaged roots no longer absorb moisture from the ground, and therefore dracaena lowers the leaves. What to do? First of all, normalize watering. Next, you need to carefully, without violating the integrity of the root system, remove the dracaena from the pot by the trunk. Inspect the roots. If the root system is light yellow or white, but not brown, it is healthy. The plant is returned back to the pot and reduce watering. Watering should be plentiful, but only after the soil has completely dried in a pot.
If the dracaena lowered the leaves and its roots are soaked, flabby and have an unhealthy shade, this indicates rotting. Damaged roots are removed. The plant is transplanted into a new, special, slightly moist soil. Dracaena is placed under a greenhouse. Watering is minimized, and spraying, on the contrary, is speeded up. Can be added to spray water for cyclone. The plant is removed from the greenhouse when it begins to drive out new leaves.
Why do dracaena dry tips of leaves? Reasons: lack of sunlight, irrigation regime is violated, heavy soil.
Dracaena is a photophilous flower, and therefore its tips of the leaves very often turn yellow due to a lack of light. This is especially noticeable in winter. If dracaena is grown under indoor conditions, the ends of its leaves turn yellow, while other care conditions are strictly observed, it is necessary to provide the plant with additional illumination with an energy-saving lamp up to 12 hours. The flower must be placed at the east or west window. If she stands near the south window, then sheltered from direct sunlight. Northern windows do not fit the flower.
You noticed that the dracaena looks bad, the tips of its leaves are drying. What to do in such cases? It is necessary to pay attention to the watering mode. Perhaps the plant is waterlogged. As a result, its root system rots, leaves do not get enough moisture through diseased roots, and therefore their tips dry. Dracaena is watered only after the soil has completely dried in a pot. Watering in this case is carried out abundant, so that the water comes out into the pan through the drainage holes. Water is immediately removed from the pan. Otherwise, the bottom of the pot will not dry out, the roots will rot. You can not put a pot of dracaena on wet expanded clay. To check the condition of the root system, the plant is carefully removed from the pot. Healthy roots will be light. Regular spraying will help the flower. it is possible to add cyclone or epin to water for spraying once a week.
Dracaena dry the tips of the leaves, if the room is low humidity. To do this, frequent spraying of the flower is carried out, a humidifier is placed next to it. During the heating season, do not place the plant next to heating appliances.
Dracaena does not grow, new leaves grow deformed, stems are thinned and extended. Reason: the plant lacks sunlight. Perhaps the flower is in the back of the room where the light does not penetrate, or the daylight hours are shortened due to the onset of autumn-winter. Experts recommend placing dracaena near windows on the south or southeast side of the house, but with mandatory shading from midday heat. To diffuse direct sunlight on the window, just hang a transparent curtain. In autumn and winter, it is recommended to illuminate the dracaena with an artificial light lamp (fluorescent or special phytolamp). In total, the duration of daylight hours for the successful development of leaflets should be 12-14 hours.
With the onset of autumn-winter (from October to March), experts recommend arranging a dracaena dormancy period, upon the attraction of which does not observe the growth of new leaves. To do this, reduce the temperature of the plant (up to +17 ... + 18 degrees), watering is minimized, spraying and feeding are not carried out. During the resting period, the dracaena slows its growth, and therefore, in conditions of insufficient illumination, it does not drive out new, deformed leaves, its branches do not thin out.
Among indoor plants, dracaena, which is sometimes called the "false palm", is very popular among gardeners.
Attracts a deep, rich color of its leaves, the splendor of the crown.
However, if the plant begins to "leaf fall", then everything is for real, without "false modesty" - from its former beauty in a matter of days there may be one bare stem.
To prevent this from happening (although the reasons can sometimes be objective, and they can not be avoided), you need to carefully monitor the condition of the green pet and, having felt something was wrong, take measures.
The main problems in dracaena, as in most cultures whose homeland is the tropics, are associated with acclimatization. In an ordinary city apartment the plant often lacks heat and humidity. Both that, and another dracaena need to be given in addition, and to do it competently, without going to extremes.
If you find that the dracaena has a soft trunk and leaves are falling, the bark has become wrinkled, so you went too far with watering.
If the leaves begin to curl or turn into a tube (this may mean that the plant died) - therefore, you could not provide the green pet with a comfortable temperature, you did not save him from sudden transitions from one microclimate to another.
Problems to the flower are also created by diseases and pests, which must be learned to recognize in a timely manner.
Of all the varieties, the threat of “baldness” most often arises in Marginata, in other varieties this problem is less pronounced. The main reasons why dracaena leaves fall may be as follows:
- natural aging (leaves of this culture live from 2 to 3 years);
- water scarcity;
- cold air, drafts.
To help the plant, it’s important to figure out which of the reasons your flower is ruining.
If it is aging, then this is an objective and unregulated process. Fortunately, nature provided that at the same time all the leaves of the dracaena will not leave - those of them whose maturity has approached will begin to turn yellow, then curl, blacken and fall off. After some time, new, healthy leaves will appear in the vacated places.
In case of lack of water, massive leaf fall does not occur either.
The difference is that the aged leaves dry out completely, and the fallen leaves, due to the scarcity of watering, still partially retain their vitality.
If the gardener overdoses with watering, the plant begins lose green leaves - this is due to the fact that the roots rotted in waterlogged soil and the plant dies.
Temperature discomfort (especially cold, draft) is expressed in the loss of green foliage by the plant.
If yellowness on the leaves appears like gray hair in a person, for natural reasons, it may not capture the whole sheet, but its tips. In this case, specialists recommend trimming by removing only the yellowed part and leaving healthy. This will preserve the decorativeness of the culture.
Often the problem arises due to the fact that the plant does not have enough sun. Most varieties have enough soft, diffused light, and even a short winter day does not have a negative effect on them. However, in some cases, dracaena can not do without backlighting and informs the owner about the yellowing of its leaves.
A similar reaction occurs due to excessive irrigation. And if the dracaena has fallen leaves and yellowed, this may be due to a lack of nutrients in the soil. It is especially dangerous to keep a flower on a starvation diet during its active growth - from April to the end of August.
CAUTION:if water regularly remains in the axils of the leaves after watering and spraying, this can cause a color change from green to yellow.
This trouble can happen even with young foliage, if the flower grows in the same pot, without replacing the soil, 3-4 years.
Salts accumulate in it, due to which the plant is not able to fully absorb nutrients, even if the owner regularly feeds his pet.
Suction roots, the main conductor of nutrients in the flower’s body, die from salinity.
Due to malnutrition, the tips of old leaves also dry out. In addition, the problem may lie in the structure of the soil - if it is clayey, heavy, poorly transmitting water.
ATTENTION:the tips of the leaves sometimes begin to dry due to a supersaturation of the soil with fluorine. This element is part of fertilizers for tropical crops, which should be used exactly according to the instructions so as not to harm the flower.
Never reassure yourself with the phrase that “there are spots in the sun”: spots on dracaena leaves pose a threat to flower health and most often appear due to insufficient care for the plant, and their color helps determine the essence of the problem. This is what they are talking about:
If the trunk of the dracaena wrinkled, the leaves began to fall, the probability of mistakes that the owner made, most likely by inexperience, was high. The main thing is to have time to fix them in time.
Among the most common mistakes:
- wrong, too generous watering (in fact, the soil in the pot between the waterings should dry out, control its condition by sticking a thin wooden stick into the ground);
- high air dryness (remove the flower away from heating appliances);
- insufficient lighting (the plant needs to be provided with additional highlighting);
- exposure to cold air (frozen leaves will help "wash" with warm water);
- lack of nutrients (get fertilizer in the form of a stick in a flower shop and stick it in the soil - your pet will regularly receive top dressings in the volume necessary for him).
ATTENTION:if the leaves turn yellow after an unsuccessful transplant, help the flower recover by spraying the soil with Epin.
Specialists (in order to prevent various diseases) recommend add potassium and phosphorus to fertilizers. Unfortunately, this is not enough to avoid diseases completely.
Dracaena diseases can be:
Pests affecting dracaena can be in the soil or get on it from neighboring, already infected plants. Signs of ill health are cobwebs, specks, sticky plaque. Among the pests:
This video talks about another pest of dracaena and how to deal with it:
How to reanimate dracaena, if the trunk is fragile, the bark wrinkles, and the leaves begin to rot? Required "Surgical intervention" in the form of cuttings: cut off the top of the dracaena and either immediately root it in the ground, or put it in a container of water so that the roots appear. This usually takes 2 months.
If the poor condition of the dracaena is associated with dry air, bring the pet back to life a warm shower will help. So that the water does not flood the roots, the pot should be placed in a plastic bag and tighten its edges around the trunk.
If the stem (and subsequently a full-fledged plant) has been standing in the water for too long, its trunk may turn yellow. This is because the aquatic environment contributes to the activation of bacteria, and the changed color of the trunk is an indication that the plant may die. You can avoid this development by urgently replacing the dracaena in a pot of earth.
A plant affected by cold air will be saved by a few sprays of warm water and placing the pot in a draft-protected place. In cases where the temperature dropped below 15 degrees Celsius, there is a great danger that the roots were affected. If the check shows that it turned out that way and the roots began to rot, they are removed and the dracaena is transplanted into a new pot. In cases when there are practically no healthy roots, the top of the flower is cut off and root.
What to do with a broken dracaena
The broken lignified part of the stem is fairly easy to root. To do this, you need to cut the place of the scrap with a sharp knife (the cut should be horizontal), hold it in the air for a while to dry it, and lower it into a container of water, where an activated carbon tablet is added (it will protect the future plant from decay).
The remaining part of the stem in the pot can also be saved. The fracture site is neatly trimmed and filled with wax. After a short time, shoots will appear on the sides of the stem.
If the broken is not lignified, but a green shoot, it is recommended to root it in moss or in the sand. In order for the roots to form faster, the tip of the shoot is processed in the “Kornevin” preparation, and in the future they will organize artificial heating (the best temperature is 25 degrees).
TIP:if the stalk selected for rooting is very small, they stick it into the ground and cover it with a glass jar, providing a greenhouse effect.
The beginning flower grower does not have enough experience and intuition for growing indoor plants, he acquires it most often by trial and error. However, it is possible to avoid trouble by using some basic rules when choosing a plant and first acquaintance with it.
- When buying dracaena or another plant, find out its full Latin name. Acquiring a new unknown plant, many are not interested in its agricultural technology, features, do not know the correct botanical name. Knowing the correct botanical name, you can determine the specific features of a particular species.
- Excessive shading or bright light can harm your dracaena. First of all, you should choose the right place for the plant. To do this, find out how the plant relates to sunlight. In addition, which is very important, a plant that tolerates sunlight well must be accustomed to it gradually. This is due to the peculiarities of plant maintenance prior to purchase - in stores they rarely observe the light regime necessary for a particular species.
- For most types of plant dracaena, drafts are fatal. When choosing a plant, consider this fact.
- Overfilling or excessive dryness can be extremely harmful to the plant. Watering is of great importance. You always need to know what the needs of the plant you bought are. In addition, watering should be carried out carefully, negligence leads to unpleasant consequences. For a number of species, a necessary condition for a healthy existence in the apartment is a constant daily spraying.
- Be careful when feeding a plant. It is very important to understand how much the introduction of nutrients is necessary for the plant. Mistakes in feeding can cause the plant to die or die.
- Consider the individual needs of the plant to the soil mixture. When transplanting, the main mistake is the incorrectly selected soil mixture. Sometimes a transplant is started unnecessarily, at the wrong time. Often too large dishes are taken, which leads to acidification of the soil. Most plants require good drainage, which some do not pay attention to. Plants brought from Holland often do not undergo proper control by the appropriate structures, as a result of which they can carry various hazardous pests on themselves or in the substrate. Therefore, it is advisable to transplant the purchased plant with the replacement of the substrate and a careful examination of the roots.
- Need to crop? Crop! Lovers - gardeners often pity their plant, are afraid to cut it. Pruning is necessary for a number of crops; if it is not carried out, the plant grows, ceases to grow and bloom.
Symptoms of care mistakes and possible causes.
The upper leaves retain elasticity, but turn yellow: It is caused, as a rule, by a high content of calcium in the soil - in those plants that cannot tolerate lime, or by the hardness of water for irrigation.
The leaves lose their luster and look lifeless: The probable cause is too much light; another cause may be a red spider mite. Even healthy green leaves may appear faded if not washed.
Leaf discoloration (chlorosis): The leaves discolor and turn yellow, the streaks remain green. Usually this happens with a lack of iron and magnesium. Both elements are needed to keep the leaf green. Irrigation with water containing a lot of calcium leads to such a deficiency: calcium binds iron in the soil. You can fix this by starting to use iron chelates or brown algal extract and pour softened water.
Leaves discolor until they become transparent: This is due to a lack of nitrogen. Nitrogen is necessary, in particular, for the formation of green leaves. To restore the green color of the leaves, it is necessary to fertilize with liquid fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. More long-term support may be horny flour, which must be gently mixed into the upper layer of the earth.
Drooping leaves: Common causes are either drying out the soil (due to insufficient watering) or waterlogging of the soil (due to poor drainage or too frequent watering). Other causes may be excess light (especially if the leaves wilt regularly in the middle of the day), dry air, too high air temperature, a cramped pot or pests.
Leaves curl and fall: The edges of the leaves curl and sometimes become dry. Twisting the leaves of plants is a measure of self-defense, because this reduces the surface of the leaf and less water evaporates from it. This happens when the plant is in a too warm place or receives little water. It is necessary to water the plant until the soil is completely saturated, or dip it in water and hold it. Choose a cooler place for him.
Leaves fall off suddenly: Rapid leaf fall without a previous long period of withering or loss of color usually indicates a shock suffered by the plant. It can be caused by a significant temperature difference (both lowering and increasing), a sharp increase in the intensity of illumination in the daytime or a strong cold draft. Sudden falling of leaves, especially in tree plants, can also be caused by drying out of the soil at the roots.
Leaves turn yellow and fall: The lower leaves of an adult plant naturally turn yellow over time and then fall. When this happens simultaneously with several leaves, the probable cause is waterlogging of the soil, lack of nitrogen, too dark place or cold drafts. First of all, you need to drastically reduce watering or completely replace the earth and less often water it. Regularly feed with appropriate fertilizers. Move the plant to a brighter place.
The lower leaves dry and fall: Three likely causes are a lack of light, too high air temperature and insufficient watering. The plant should be rearranged in a brighter place. Soak an earthball completely with water, immersing the pot for several hours in water. Move from a warm place to cooler conditions.
Leaves on new plants fall: For newly transplanted, just bought or transferred from one room to another plants, it is natural to lose one or two lower leaves. The shock from a change of scenery can be reduced if the plant is transplanted only in a slightly larger pot than the previous one, sheltered when moving home from the store and transferred from a poorly lit place to a bright light with an intermediate stay for several days in partial shade.
Dots or spots on the leaves: If the dots or spots are dry and brown, then the most likely cause is a lack of water. If the affected areas are soft, dark brown light - this is most likely due to waterlogging of the soil. If the dots or spots are white or yellowish, the lesion is caused by the use of cold water during irrigation, a sharp drop in temperature, water getting on the leaves, aerosol damage, or illness / pests. If the spots are reddish, silver-white or brownish - the plant suddenly appeared under the influence of direct sunlight. If the affected area becomes wet and looks like a blister, or dry in the form of dents, the cause is the disease. Some pests can also cause leaf spotting.
Brown tips or leaf edges: The most likely cause is the drying of the leaf tips to dry air. Another possible cause is physical damage, when the tips of the leaves are often touched or pressed against the glass or wall. If the edges of the leaves are yellow or brown, this can be due to several reasons: waterlogging, insufficient watering, lack of light, too much light, too low air temperature, an excess of minerals, dry air or drafts. Other symptoms will help determine the true cause.
Small pale leaves and elongated stems: This happens in winter and early spring, after the plant was kept in low light at too high a temperature and excessively heavy watering. If possible, the ugly part of the plant is removed. If such symptoms appear during the growth period, then the reasons may be a lack of minerals or too poor lighting.
Leaves and stems rot: This is caused by a disease that occurs under poor conditions. Often the cause of the disease is waterlogging of the soil in winter or water getting on the leaves, especially if it remains overnight.
Torn edges and holes on the leaves: Most often appear when physically damaged by pets or people (sometimes even a simple touch on an unfolded sheet can damage it) or when attacked by pests.
Variegated leaves turn solid green: This is simply due to a lack of light. Remove all processes with uniformly colored leaves (if possible) and move the pot with the plant closer to the window.
A plant does not grow slowly or at all: In winter, this is normal for all plants, so do not force it to grow. In summer, the most likely cause of growth retardation is a lack of minerals, waterlogging of the soil, or insufficient lighting. If these reasons are excluded, then the pot may be cramped.
The plant does not bloom: Several reasons can lead to the fact that an adult plant does not bloom at the right time. The most likely causes associated with lighting are a lack of light or an unsuitable length of daylight for a plant. Other causes may be an overabundance of minerals, dry air, thrips, or transplantation (some plants bloom only in a tight pot).
Buds fall: The reasons why leaves fall can also cause buds or flowers to fall. This is most often caused by dry air, insufficient watering, lack of light, moving the pot with the plant to another place and pest damage.
Flowers quickly fade: As a rule, this is a result of insufficient watering, dry air, lack of light or too high air temperature.
Green plaque on a ceramic pot: A sure sign of problems associated with irrigation - occurs when waterlogged soil or poor drainage.
White peel on a ceramic pot: There are two likely reasons - use too hard water for irrigation or an excess of minerals.
Dracaena is a spectacular evergreen. It can be found both in apartments and in office premises. Amateur gardeners and designers, she is appreciated for its attractiveness and unpretentiousness. However, despite the undemanding and lack of whims, dracaena suffers from unintentional errors in care, attacks of pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses and harmful insects. This negatively affects her presentability. Therefore, you need to know what symptoms are characteristic of a particular disease or pest, and how to deal with them.
How to create an optimal microclimate in dracaena
Dracaena is quite unpretentious, and there is nothing complicated in creating an optimal microclimate for her at home. But the requirements of the plant should nevertheless be heeded, trying to create an atmosphere as close as possible to that to which it is used in nature.
Dracaena - a popular (not least because of its unpretentiousness) houseplant
Table: Suitable conditions for growing dracaena
| Factor | Recommendations |
| Location | Nearby (1–2 m) from a window facing east or west. Putting close to the south window is not recommended to avoid sunburn. In summer, if the dimensions allow, you can move the container to fresh air. Dracaena loves him, but does not tolerate cold drafts. |
| Lighting | Diffused light or light partial shade. Species with variegated leaves are more demanding on lighting. All dracaena can exist in fully artificial light, if daylight hours last at least 12 hours. |
| Temperature | In spring and summer it is moderately warm (20–25ºС). Dracaena does not tolerate heat well. In winter, it is slightly lowered to 17–19ºС. The lower limit is 15ºС. Exceptions are fragrant dracaena, Hooker, Dragon (they suffer a short-term decrease to 10ºС). All species react negatively to sudden changes in temperature. A difference of 10 ° C or more can lead to the death of the plant. |
| Air humidity | Normally exists with a standard air humidity of 40-50% (especially dracones of Dragon and Godsphere are undemanding to it), but with gratitude responds to any measures to increase it. The only thing you should not do is pour water into the sump. In winter, working radiators dry the air very much, so every 2–3 days it is recommended to spray the surrounding air with warm water. In the summer, in the heat, you can spray the plant itself, but so that the drops do not fall into sockets, or arrange a shower, covering the ground with polyethylene. Be sure to wipe the leaves with a wet cloth or sponge at least once a week. |
Choose a place near the window to the dracaena, it is very difficult to put it on the windowsill because of the dimensions
In addition to the optimal microclimate, a great influence on how the plant feels is provided by timely top dressing and the correct watering regime.
In summer, you need to allow the soil in the pot to dry about 4-5 cm deep. This can be determined by sticking a wooden stick in the pot. One procedure in 2-3 days is enough. In winter, intervals are increased to 5–7 days. In wet soil, when cool, rot quickly develops. Broad-leaved dracaena need to be watered more often - they have a larger evaporation area. An obvious signal is drooping, toned leaves. And do not forget to loosen the soil after each procedure.
It will also be useful material about the conditions of detention of Dracaena Sander:
As for top dressing, there are special fertilizers for dracaena. The tree is watered with a nutrient solution every 20-30 days, after about half an hour it is well moistened with soil. If a universal tool for indoor plants is used, pay attention to the composition. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen can lead to a deterioration in the appearance of leaves. And dracaena categorically does not tolerate fluoride.
Video: home care and flower maintenance
Diseases and pests typical for dracaena and their prevention
Dracaena, which is properly looked after, is quite resistant to damage by various pathogenic fungi, viruses and bacteria. Most often, this kind of plant problem is the result of unintentional host mistakes. An invasion of pests, even a massive one, is also unlikely to lead to its death, but it will cause a lot of trouble to the grower.
The most dangerous for it are all kinds of rot, as well as bacterial and viral diseases, which cannot be cured with modern means. In this case, the plant needs to be destroyed as quickly as possible, no matter how sorry it is. Otherwise, you may lose the entire collection.
Most often, to avoid problems with dracaena, competent prevention is enough:
- quarantine for newly acquired plants for 25-30 days;
- regular inspections of the entire collection (ideally through a magnifying glass) and immediate isolation of “suspicious” specimens;
- free, without crowding, placement of pots;
- frequent airing of the room and maintaining high humidity;
- placing indoor and cut flowers as far apart as possible, especially if it is roses or chrysanthemums;
- mandatory sterilization before using pots, substrate, any tools;
- treatment of all "wounds" inflicted on dracaena in;
- implementation of recommendations for plant care, especially those related to irrigation and fertilizing;
- maintaining cleanliness - regular dusting from leaves and other authorized water procedures.
Diagnose a problem
The plant gives the grower unambiguous signals. Deterioration of his appearance is a clear sign of health problems. It is important to correctly interpret these signs, and know what to do in each case.
Table: Symptoms and Possible Causes
| External manifestations | Possible reasons | ||
| Mistakes in leaving | Disease | Pest | |
| Yellowing and fading leaves. | Their life span is about two years. Otherwise, excessive irrigation | ||
| Turning pale, fading leaves, deforming, thinning trunks. | Deficit of light. | ||
| Falling green leaves. | Unsuitable room temperature (both high and too low), constant cold drafts. | ||
| Drying, curled and falling leaves. | Too scarce watering. | ||
| Dry brown leaf tips. | Low humidity in the room. | ||
| Dry tips and small areas of dead tissue on the leaves. | Excess fluoride in the soil - the use of unsuitable fertilizers or irrigation with hard not settled water. | ||
| Leaves that lose color saturation and yellowish or almost discolored spots on them. | Burn from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. It is almost inevitable if the plant has been sprayed before. Drops of water focus the rays no worse than lenses. | ||
| Yellowish-white spots on the leaves, dry edges. | Low temperature in the room or its sudden changes. | ||
| A discolored “watery” border around the edge of the sheet. | Excess fertilizer in the soil (too frequent fertilizing). | ||
| Blushing leaves. | Unsuitable too heavy soil with a predominance of peat. | ||
| Fine white crystals on the back of the sheet. | A natural phenomenon provoked by a single plentiful watering in combination with high humidity. | ||
| Slow growth or its complete absence. | Unsuitable soil, lack of top dressing for a long time or overly tight pot. | ||
| A flour-like coating on the leaves. | |||
| Browning soft-touch barrel. | |||
| Brownish spots, gradually pulled by a gray "pile". | |||
| Dark "watery" spots, softening tissue. | |||
| Yellowing leaves, covered with dark brown spots. | |||
| Reddish-yellow, gradually browning spots on the leaves. | |||
| Brown spots with bright green border on the leaves. | |||
| Small beige spots with a white dot in the center. | |||
| Elongated beige spots with a pale red border. | |||
| Blurry brown spots with yellow-green border. | |||
| Dark "watery" tips of leaves, "sores" on the trunk. | |||
| Brownish spots and stripes cast in bronze. | |||
| Yellow spots on leaves, braided by petioles. | |||
| Silver “scratches” and small black dots on the leaves. | |||
| Brown "plaques" on the leaves, reddish-yellow tissue around them. | |||
| Small lumps of whitish substance in the axils of the leaves and in the ground. | |||
| Many small yellow-green or black-brown insects on the underside of leaves and sticky drops on them. | |||
What the mistakes in leaving lead to: examples in the photo
Dracaena, which has leaf tips dried, suffers from excessively low humidity or sunburn. Dracaena leaves can be dropped for several reasons, including natural ones. So most often it looks like dracaena before dropping leaves Dracaena can very easily get burned if sprayed leave the plant in direct sunlight Browning drying leaves of dracaena mean a long neglect of the plant's need for moisture The yellowing of the leaves of dracaena responds to overflow
Diseases and how to cope with them
Of the fungal diseases, for dracaena, the most dangerous are all types of rot, which develop very quickly when irrigated incorrectly. If at the same time the room temperature is still below normal, this is almost inevitable.
Table: Dracaena typical diseases
| Disease | Symptoms | Treatment and prevention |
| Small rounded pale brown spots on the trunk and leaves with a whitish dot in the middle, quickly changing color to black-gray. Gradually, the tissues in these places die. |
For prophylaxis, treat the flower and soil once a month with a 0.1% solution of Fundazole, Topsin-M. |
|
| Elongated beige spots with a reddish border on the leaves. Gradually they are tightened with a layer of greenish-gray plaque. | ||
| Phyllosticosis (brown spotting) | Blurry spots of irregular shape beige-brown with lime border. Then in the middle small black “grains” are formed. At risk are adults and especially old dracaena. |
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| Dark brown “watery” tips of leaves, brown spots on them, small round “ulcers” on the trunk and petioles. Healthy tissues are separated from infected by a wide yellow “oily” streak. | There are no effective treatment measures. The development of bacteriosis is provoked by constant dampness in the pot, heat in the room, and alkaline soil unsuitable for dracaena. | |
| Spotted wilting (bronze) | Leaves are almost completely covered with stripes and spots of irregular shape. Under artificial lighting, they are brownish, cast in the sun with bronze. Dracaena growth almost stops, new leaves are small and deformed. | With the help of modern means it is impossible to get rid of the virus. More often suffer from spotted wilting plants that do not feed. A deficiency of potassium and phosphorus is harmful to dracen. |
| Yellowness spreading through the leaves from bottom to top. Along the edge is a "watery" border. The top of the trunk wilts. He himself is thinning, changing color to brick. In especially severe cases, dracaena is covered with “weeping” brown spots. |
For prevention, add Fitosporin-M to water for irrigation. In the soil when transplanting add Gumistar, Trikhovit. |
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| Root (black) rot | Brown roots and base of the trunk, mold on the soil and an unpleasant putrefactive odor coming from it. |
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| Bacterial (wet) rot | Dark "watery" spots on the leaves and trunk. Tissues in these places soften to a semi-liquid state. | |
| Pale brown spots on the leaves, gradually dragging on a layer of grayish “pile” with multiple small black blotches. |
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| Brown rot (rhizoctonia) | Dracaena stops growing. Leaves turn yellow, discolor, then become covered with black-brown spots. |
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| Small brownish spots with a bright green border on the leaves. |
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| Leaves, as if powdered with flour. Gradually, this plaque condenses and turns brown. |
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Photo gallery: how a plant affected by pathogenic fungi and bacteria looks like
Powdery mildew seems to be a harmless coating that is easy to erase, but it is by no means. Brown spotting is a rather rare disease. Dracaena, affected by brown rot, practically stops growing. Gray rot is easy to recognize, but not easy to cure. in semi-liquid mass Root rot is very difficult to recognize on time, and the disease can only be treated in the early stages of development. Fusarium plants in the garden often suffer, but indoor plants are not protected from infection. The plant that suffers from spotted wilting can only be thrown out. It is still impossible to cure bacteriosis Phylostyctosis most often affects adults and old dracaena Greenish-gray plaque that appears as heterosporosis develops, contains fungal spores Tissues affected by alternariosis gradually die, holes remain on the leaves, holes remain on the leaves
Video: Dracaena Disease Treatment
Dracaena attacking pests
Most pests, even having bred in a multitude, will not kill dracaena. But this does not mean that they do not need to be fought. The plant did not “bring” any exotic insects from its historical homeland. You have to deal with the most common insects and ticks that feed on its juice.
Table: Common Pests
| Pest | Symptoms | Control and Prevention Measures |
| Rounded "plaques" of different shades of brown on the back of the sheet. Gradually they “swell”, the tissues around them acquire an unnatural yellow-red color. In severe cases, the soil turns black. |
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| Thin, almost transparent filaments braiding the petioles. On the underside of the leaf are brown dots and blurry pale or yellowish spots around them. |
For prevention, weekly spray the plant with a decoction of cyclamen tubers. Or irradiate the leaves with a quartz lamp for 2-3 minutes on both sides. |
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| Discolored leaves, small black dots and silver-beige thin “scratches” visible on the inside. |
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| Lumps of dirty cotton-like plaque in the axils of the leaves and at the base of the trunk. Leaves quickly turn yellow and dry. |
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| Large colonies of small insects clinging to the underside of leaves (especially young ones) and the top of the trunk. Then a sticky transparent coating appears. |
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Photo Gallery: How Dracaena-Infecting Pests Look
Aphids are distinguished by a rare “omnivorous”, dracaena is also part of its interests. If you do not pay attention to the mealybug, very soon the plant will be covered with a continuous carpet of stirring “fluff”. Small black dots on the leaves are nothing other than thrips. The spider mite is not an insect , therefore, to combat it, not general insecticides are used, but special preparations - acaricides. Durable carapace of the scale shield - reliable protection against most folk remedies.
Video: common pests of indoor plants and their control
Plant Resuscitation
Most often, the dracaena requires urgent resuscitation, its owner is to blame. Most painfully, it reacts to improper watering - “drought” or “swamp” in the pot.
In the first case, cut off all the dry leaves to living tissue without touching the growth point at the top of the dracaena. Every 2-3 days, spray with a solution of any biostimulant. Rearrange as close to the south-west or south-east orientation window. Water according to the instructions. If the roots are not affected, after 2-3 months the dracaena will give new leaves. When the growth point has dried up, you will have to cut it off and hope that the side kidneys “wake up”. But the chances of it are not so many.
In a waterlogged substrate, the development of rot is almost inevitable. Drazen needs to be transplanted as soon as possible, regardless of the time of year. But this procedure does not guarantee success; it will be effective only at an early stage of the development of the disease. In the process, be sure to cut off all the roots affected by the fungus, do not forget to sterilize the new pot and soil. At first, be very careful with watering, but spray the dracaena daily. Select capacity according to the size of the root system (plus a maximum of 2-3 cm).
What to do with a broken dracaena palm
Dracaena is a fairly massive plant, so the aboveground part can simply outweigh the pot. Also, the “fractures” she often received are the result of the intense activity of children and domestic animals. In this case, do not be upset. If everything is done correctly, instead of one plant you will get two.
Broken dracaena - not a reason to arrange a tragedy
The easiest way is when the trunk broke, but did not break at all. “Tires” are placed on it, as if on an arm or leg, and the skin is fixed so that it covers the “wound” if possible. You can wrap strips of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber on top.
Do not forget to "seal" the cut
Otherwise, the remaining part of the plant in the pot:
- Saw off the barrel evenly below the point of damage. It is advisable to do this according to the “scars” left from the fallen leaves.
- Disinfect the section with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate or 1% m Bordeaux fluid.
- Pour with liquid wax, paraffin, cover with garden var. If nothing is at hand, apply 2-3 coats of oil paint.
- Put the plant in partial shade. Water sparingly. When growth buds form, return to normal care.
Also, material on methods of propagation of dracaena will be useful:
The side kidneys on the dracaena "wake up" for a long time, be patient
Broken tip:
- Cut at an angle of approximately 45º. Try to do this as smoothly as possible, without “flaking” and chipping. Let it dry for 2-3 hours.
- Tear off the interfering leaves. Put in a container with a biostimulator prepared according to the instructions. Succinic acid and activated carbon can be used (per tablet for every 200 ml). An alternative is rooting in wet perlite, vermiculite, sand. The slice will need to be sprinkled with any powdery root stimulator.
- Change the water every 3-4 days, regularly moisten the substrate. Provide bottom heating, daylight hours of at least 12 hours and a temperature of approximately 25ºC.
- Be patient. The rooting process can last 3-4 months or even six months. When the first new leaf appears, transplant the plant into soil suitable for adult dracaena.
Most often, the broken tip of the dracaena is rooted in water
Video: rooting dracaena cuttings
Dracaena, like any houseplant, is not immune from attacks of diseases and pests. However, it is quite resistant to them, and the tree, which is properly looked after, rarely suffers. Nevertheless, individual errors in care, pathogenic fungi and bacteria can trigger a deterioration in the appearance of dracaena. If nothing is done, the plant may even die. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize what caused these or other symptoms, and know what to do to deal with the problem.
In some cases, unpretentious dracaena leaves fall. The problem does not arise on its own, so the grower needs to understand its causes.
About why the plant takes off leaves and how to reanimate it, read on.
Why Dracaena drops leaves: the main reasons
Dracaena drops leaves due to errors in care or illness. Below are the main reasons for falling leaves.
Did you know? Word« dracaena» translates as« dragon female» . The birthplace of palm trees is Africa and southeast Asia.
Violation of growing conditions
The first thing you need to look at when falling dracaena leaves is growing conditions. The reasons most often are:
- wrong soil composition;
- low temperature;
- frequent drafts;
- bright direct light;
- strong shadow.
Lack or excess of fertilizer
Fertilizers are needed for plants to grow. Many flower growers admit two extremes: lack or excess of fertilizing. Falling leaves is possible in both cases.
With meager replenishment, dracene has nowhere to take nutrients from. This situation occurs in several cases:
- rare top dressing;
- small doses of drugs;
- the concentration of solutions is lower than specified in the instructions;
- complete lack of fertilizers.
Excess fertilizer is no less harmful. Its negative effect is manifested in the following errors:
- too frequent top dressing;
- the use of more funds;
- intense concentration of the drug;
- feeding during dormancy.
Revise your palm fertilizer approach. This may be the main reason for dropping leaves. Did you know? The Aztecs called the dracaena "the tree of happiness" and believed that if you cut a small part of the plant trunk at midnight, it would bring happiness in love.
Wrong watering
A common cause of falling dracaena foliage is improper watering. Scanty and too abundant hydration damages the plant:
- insufficient watering: the leaves dry out;
- excessive watering: the plant becomes a soft trunk, the foliage first withers, and then falls off.
Important! TO s speech-resistant species include palm trees under the names Dragon and Godsef. They should not be excessively moistened.
Transplant root damage
When the roots of the dracaena grow, it is transplanted into a new pot. During the transplant, the grower contacts the rhizome. Careless movements can damage the root system. Such injuries affect the condition of the palm. Transplanting to a new place is already stress, and damage to the root enhances it. In response to trauma, the plant discards leaves. 
Pests and diseases
Incorrect care attracts diseases and pests. They often cause foliage to drop.
Of the diseases, the plant most often affects the fungus:
- stem rot;
- root rot;
- fusarium
- alternariosis;
- phylostictosis;
- heterosporosis.
Pests are no less dangerous for dracaenas. Often it is they who become the cause of dropping leaves. The palm may be attacked by: - spider mite;
- thrips;
- scale shield;
- mealybug;
What to do and how to save the plant
Dracaena, whose leaves have fallen, can be saved in some cases. The reasons are more associated with errors in care, so the first actions of the grower are to adjust the growing conditions. If diseases or pests are found, the plant is additionally treated. 
The rules for growing palm trees are as follows:
- Temperature.Optimum indicators - +20 ... + 25 ° С. The plant will survive if the temperature drops to + 15 ° C. In colder conditions, the palm tree stops development.
- Humidity. Most species need at least 60% humidity. To maintain moisture, the plants are sprayed from the spray gun. Twice spraying a day is enough for normal growth. Do not forget to remove excess water from the axils of the leaves.
- Lighting. Dracaens love diffused light. The bright rays of the sun or shadow destroy the palm tree. If the leaves fall, change the location of the pot. If it is not possible to provide the plant with natural light, buy a phytolamp.
- Watering. Water for irrigation should be soft. Before use, it must be defended. Cold water is not suitable for irrigation. The frequency depends on the drying of the soil. If the top 2 cm of the substrate has dried out, it can be moistened. Drying speed depends on the season. In summer, the plant is watered 1 time in 2 days. In winter, it is optimal to moisten the soil once every 3 days.
- Fertilizer. Palm tree needs to be fed only during the period of active growth. Its usual time frame is from March to early September. Dracaena should be fed 1 time in 2 weeks. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of fertilizers for dracaena. Means “Rainbow”, “Dracaena”, “Ideal” are popular.
- Transfer. Florists transplant a healthy palm once every 2-3 years. Best plant tolerates transplant in March and April. In case of growing problems, an emergency transplant is possible. Falling foliage due to inappropriate soil or diseases is exactly the case. For a successful procedure, prepare a pot, drainage mixture, substrate for dracaena, water for irrigation. Fill the new pot with drainage, pour some of the soil on it. Pour the dracaena and remove it from the old pot. Carefully clean the root system of an earthen coma. Check the roots for rot; remove the rot, if any. Put the palm in a new container, fill in the rest of the soil. Water the palm and place in a suitable place.
- Fight against diseases and pests. Florists use such drugs for treatment: pests are killed by insecticides, for example, Fitoverm, Aktellik, or Intavir, and fungicides, such as Oksikhom or Topaz, are used against the fungus. If the plant is completely damaged, it rots and the treatment does not help, try replanting the cuttings in a new soil in order to save at least part of it. If it is a viral disease, it is impossible to cure it. The plant must be disposed of.
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