5. Some diseases interfere with their growth and may require treatment. How to fix Place Calathea indoors during cold winter and hot summer months to keep it at an ideal temperature with the help of a heater and air-conditioning. To identify a spider mite infestation on your Calathea, look for the mites themselves, their eggs, or the webbing they produce. To keep this site running, we are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. If you face any problem with your plant, you might find the perfect solution here! One of the most common causes of white spots on Calathea leaves is direct sunlight. On the other hand, too much water might cause roots to rot, resulting in curled leaves. Aaditya Bhatta was born and raised in the city of Kathmandu, in the beautiful mountain state of Nepal. This evergreen perennial plant thrives indoors with minimal care. Increase the humidity around your plant by misting the leaves on a regular basis, using a pebble tray, or moving a humidifier nearby. 4. They prefer 50% humidity and up, with higher numbers better for them due to their adaptation to native jungle habitat. Fungal infections, pest damage, or nitrogen deficiency are possible causes. The most common causes of yellowing of Calathea leaves are pests, lack of light and excessive watering. Calathea prefers to be kept moist. Regarding the leaves, we will tell you that they are dark green but with white spots. Use pots with drainage holes to prevent overwatering. These white, oval-shaped bugs arent just fluffy themselves, but they leave behind waxy coatings that can be rubbed off with a finger. You may need to treat your plant multiple times to get rid of all the scale. Too much sunlight and temperature extremities may cause its leaves to curl. How to treat white spots on Calathea leaves? Yellow spots on calathea leaves are often a sign of pests or disease. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, even thoroughly wiping away spider mites or thrips wont completely solve pest problems. Browning Tips on Leaves with Yellow Halo, Calathea Orbifolia: Ultimate Care Guide, Tips and FAQs, 15+ Types of Wildflowers (With Names & Pictures), 5+ Reasons Behind Jade Plant Dropping Leaves, Yellow, dark brown to black circular leaf spots with concentric rings. Mealybugs excrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which can attract other pests, such as ants. Excess misting can lead to spots on your plants leaves. Calathea thrives in strong, indirect light, and harsh rays from direct sunlight for a prolonged time causes indications of sunburn and shock. Go get em!! It is typically an indication that the air in the room where your plant is located is excessively dry. lietzei (Calathea white fusion) C. rufibarba (Furry feather or velvet calathea) C. zebrina (zebra plant) . The leaves become dry and papery as the roots suffocate. 1 You can restore Calatheas beautiful, pristine foliage by following simple steps. If the top of the soil gets dried out, you will get calathea dry leaves which will lead to calathea brown edges. 1. Give your calathea's leaves a gentle stroke and they'll feel soft and velvety. Here are some tips on how to treat white spots on Calathea leaves: Its penultimate first to identify the spots causes is essential to treat them correctly. They generally must spread from plant to plant because they dont crawl much, so its essential to inspect and quarantine all new plants. They can be found in the crevices of leaves and stems, and they excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. The plant wants consistent, slightly moist soil at all times however, if you make them sit in a soggy pot, their leaves not only turn yellow, but the roots can be affected. In conclusion, paying close attention to any white spots on your Calathea leaves is essential. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium deficiencies can all cause white spots on Calathea leaves. Repot plant when you believe the roots are getting too big for the pot. They puncture the tissues and suck the moisture out. Do not let the plant sit in water. Do you have white spots on your Calathea leaves? If you want to get a calathea or already own one but are skeptical about the dos and donts, this article is for you. Low humidity is another prevalent reason that causes your calathea leaves to curl up. Then the spot turns dark green and finally black. An inexpensive DIY option that wont harm your Calathea is to mix a few drops of bleach-free dish soap in water and use it. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants. Its not hard to handle these treatments yourself to restore your houseplants health. Moreover, Cercospora, Bipolaris, and Botrytis are some of the fungi that can cause root rot in your Calathea. A 3:1:2 ratio organic fertilizer can also be effective. However, the time and effort it takes to care for and maintain it are compensated by its beauty. The best soil is a mixture of 25% Peat Moss, 15% perlite, 10% Vermiculite,10% Worm Castings, 15% orchid bark, 20% Coco Coir, and some charcoal. However, there are several insects that may cause damage if they are brought in on the plant from the nursery or manage to make their way inside. Calathea is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family marantaceae.they are commonly called calatheas or (like their relatives) prayer plants.about 200 species . Finally, wipe off any white spots on the leaves with a damp cloth to restore their leaves to their original, pristine state. To avoid startling the plant, keep the water at normal temperature. Youll also want to consider repotting your calathea plant if theres any evidence of root rot or decay in the soil base. Avoid overhead watering, keep the leaves dry. A better choice for suffocating stubborn pests like thrips, spider mites, and scale is the use of horticultural oil without neem as an ingredient. Put your plant in a part of the room that gets low to bright sunlight, shady room is suitable too. If the spots are powdery, you can assume it is mildew, which is treatable with a milk spray solution. Powdery mildew is a type of fungus that can affect Calathea leaves, causing them to develop white spots. Edema is not harmful to your Calathea, but it can be unsightly. The affected leaves will typically be small and pale green or yellow. If you give the calathea what it needs, it will never let you down. (2nd pic.) This is caused by the pathogen known as Oidium species. Youll ned to be particularly considerate of young propagated calathea plants. Various things, including mealybugs, Scale, aphids, nutrient deficiencies, or water stress, could cause little white dots on your plant leaves. If you cant figure out whats causing the white spots on your Calatheas leaves, take a sample of the affected leaves to your local nursery or garden center for help. When I went on to google what it was, one pest that seems to leave a sticky residue was the scale bug. Its important to keep the plants soil wet but not soggy. Therefore, examining the leaves more closely is crucial to determine the cause. What do spider mites look like on a Calathea? Jungle Calathea soil requirements. During the day, you may observe that the leaves of your plant droop more. Look at the white spots to determine the cause and get your Calatheas back to their lush and healthy selves! Be sure to water your plant regularly, as a lack of water can also cause a nitrogen deficiency. Moreover, they close their leaves during nighttime and open them up during the day. Calathea are native to tropical regions and do not do well in direct sunlight. Various things can cause white spots on Calathea leaves, but white mold is one of the most common culprits. If the spots on your Calathea leaves are small and white, theyre probably just sunburns. Calathea is more likely to develop a fungal disease from over-watering, appearing as spots on the leaves. Privacy Policy(function (w,d) {var loader = function () {var s = d.createElement("script"), tag = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.src="https://cdn.iubenda.com/iubenda.js"; tag.parentNode.insertBefore(s,tag);}; if(w.addEventListener){w.addEventListener("load", loader, false);}else if(w.attachEvent){w.attachEvent("onload", loader);}else{w.onload = loader;}})(window, document); Yercaud-elango, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, What are the causes of white spots on Calathea leaves? You can never be sure if plants ." Alessia Resta on Instagram: "Finding spots in the apartment for plants is always challenging. Calathea white star thrives in moist soil, and its leaves shrivel easily when the soil dries out. Just be sure to follow the directions on the label carefully, as you dont want to damage your plant. If you suspect pests, isolate your plant to prevent the spread of disease to your other houseplants. When the roots of your Calathea have grown too large to fit inside their pot, they might get congested and confined, preventing them from getting enough nutrients and water. You can also try using a natural remedy like neem oil. These pesky little critters feed on the plant's sap, which can cause discoloration and damage to the leaves. Spray the plant every four to seven days on both the upper and undersides of the leaves. If your plant is getting too much direct sunlight, the leaves may develop white spots as well. Leave the jug of water overnight before watering and it should resolve the issue. These pests suck the sap from the leaves, causing them to turn yellow and eventually die. These spots can be caused by a number of different things, but the most common cause is too much sunlight. To prevent white spots from forming on Calathea leaves, keep the plant in warm and semi-humid conditions, water regularly and provide good nourishment, and keep the leaves away from direct sunlight. Honeydew can attract other insects, as well as mold. To prevent thrips from infesting your calathea, its important to keep the plant healthy. Move your Calathea to a warmer place, away from other sources of unexpected temperature swings. Keep the soil consistently moist to avoid this. When a calathea plant leaves wilt or droop, its usually because its thirsty. Arguably one of the more problematic pests, spider mites are a member of the mite family, and they love to hang out on the underside of plant leaves. Root rot is a typical problem with specimens sitting in overly wet or saturated soil for an extended period. Plant your calathea in a pot with drainage holes and periodically check if the holes are blocked or not. The extra moisture will help the plant recover from the sunburn. 5. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Plants Craze participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Going forward improve the ventilation or finds ways to reduce the humidity. Be sure to quarantine infested plants and keep them away from other houseplants to avoid spreading the pests. Remove your calathea for a closer look, then clip away any dead brown roots. White Crystals on Calathea Leaves. Spray the leaves of your calathea with a mist once every three days or so to offset the drying effects of air currents. Native to: Rainforests of Brazil. However, because the leaves of calathea move up and down in response to light, make sure that youre not mistaking natural movement for a need for water. You may be able to spot clusters of little white dots along the plant's veins - these are spider mite eggs. Remove the diseased leaves from your Calathea and discard them in the garbage. These spots will eventually fade on their own, so theres no need to do anything. Not good! Once a week, spray your infected plant with isopropyl alcohol or wipe all over the plant. Since soil does not always dry up at the same rate, make a habit of monitoring the soil before watering. 3. There are a few things you can do to get rid of thrips. We are a floristry, plant, and lifestyle city resource curated by a passionate team of horticulturists, floral & plant enthusiasts, budding designers, and intrepid urban gardeners. Your email address will not be published. However, you can water less often during the winter. Use a humidifier to increase humidity levels. To fix this, simply flush the leaves with distilled water or rainwater to remove any excess minerals. Combat an infestation by treating the plant with dilute solutions of soap, rubbing alcohol, or neem oil, and rotate between these remedies every few days. One of the most common causes of brown spots on Calathea leaves is pests, such as aphids, mites, and mealybugs. Why is My Aloe Plant Curling (and How to Fix It)? Calathea. Only move the plant back to its regular spot when the problem disappears. Ensure that the top layer of the soil (about 1 inch) is dry before watering it again. There will more than likely be dead brown patches on the leaves or stems, white or pale brown spots on flower petals or rotting on bulbs etc. Give your plant a few weeks to recover if you have shifted it to a new place or repotted it. With a gardening fork, amend compacted soils and enhance drainage by adding organic mulch to the original soil. 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