home sectionhome section
The Japanese larch tree (Larix kaempferi) is not your typical evergreen; it's exotic. Although it looks like an evergreen, it won’t stay green forever. The needles on this ornamental pine turn beautiful autumn colors in the fall before falling off, giving it the classification of deciduous conifer. Like any tree, it has a potential for disease.
Although it’s alarming, mature leaves on most evergreen shrubs turn yellow before falling off, typically in spring. If this occurs at other times, you should suspect that there’s a problem. Sometimes, as is the case with insect infestations, the cause is obvious. When it’s not, it may take a bit of sleuthing to determine what is ailing the Vietnamese gardenia (Gardenia augusta “Vietnam”)
Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) is a breathtaking plant, but it is extremely dangerous. Commonly called deadly nightshade, belladonna is a perennial plant that is part of the Solanaceae plant family and is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. While it is a beautiful plant in any garden, belladonna is dangerous because all parts contain highly toxic chemicals.
"Sunburst" honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos "Sunburst") is prized among honey locusts for its foliage, which is yellow when it emerges and turns golden fall as well as for its lack of messy seed pods. This honey locust grows across U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 or 4 through 9 and achieves a height of 25 to 40 feet with a similar spread. A handful of different diseases, ranging from the relatively unimportant powdery mildew to seriously damaging wood decay, can potentially impact a "Sunburst" honey locust.
Lilium philadelphicum, the wood lily or wild lily, is a flowering perennial herb native to North America. It grows in open prairies and forest clearings throughout the eastern United States and Canada, and it thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. It was once a very common plant in nature, but habitat encroachment and overcollection have seriously threatened its numbers.
Mother-in-law plant, mother-in-law's tongue, Hahnii and snake plant are all names for Sansevieria trifasciata, a tough indoor and outdoor plant that can survive through a variety of conditions. As horticulturist Jennifer Schultz Nelson of the University of Illinois says, "Surviving is not the same as thriving." While mother-in-law plants are commonly referred to as indestructible houseplants, they can experience problems, such as yellowing leaves, if left in poor conditions for too long. Improving the plant's conditions will likely bring its color back over time.
The wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina, Tradescantia fluminensis) hails from Mexico and Central America where the long stems creep along the tropical rain forest floors. It is these same long stems that make it a desirable houseplant, used in hanging planters. Wandering Jew can also be grown outdoors, in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11.
Flax lily (Dianella spp.) is a group of about 20 to 30 plants that feature attractive grass-like foliage and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11. Flax lily has few problems but can come under attack by some common ornamental fungal pathogens such as rust, mold and mildew. Thankfully, these diseases are more annoying than anything else and rarely cause long-term damage.
Sometimes known as the cigar tree for the long pods that turn brown in fall and are about the diameter of a cigar, catalpa trees (Catalpa spp.) have showy white flowers in spring and early summer. There are two native species, northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) and southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides). Both are planted as ornamental and shade trees, extending their distribution well beyond their original ranges. Trees are readily grown from seed.
Soybeans, or Glycine max, are crop plants that are raised for their seeds. The seeds (soybeans) have a wide range of commercial uses, including soy sauce, soy milk, printing ink, plastics and waterproofing materials, among many others. Farmers monitor these crops carefully, since there are several stem and root diseases, such as Pythium root rot, that can damage or devastate soybean plantings.
Heart-shaped fruit treats are a favorite of kids everywhere. Make heart-shaped fruit treats for kids with help from a gourmet Popsicle and treat expert in this free video clip.
Plumerias flower in response to light and day length, so they put on most of their growth and blooms during the summer. The shrubs go dormant as temperatures drop and the day length shortens. Once the plant enters full dormancy, it requires no light. Receiving light early can cause the plant to break dormancy and begin blooming earlier, which isn't harmful to the plant but can pose a problem if you don't have a suitable indoor place to keep a flowering plumeria. Learning the indicators of winter dormancy allows you to move the plant to a suitable storage place before…
Hunnemannia fumariifolia is the botanical name for Mexican tulip poppies. Golden cup is another common name for these perky plants that produce showy blossoms. This native Mexican plant shares some similar characteristics with the California poppy, a close relative. Like other members of the Papaveraceae family of plants, Hunnemannia fumariifolia require specific soils and climates to thrive and flourish.
Cycads, a prehistoric plant family, resemble palm trees with their large, green fronds and rough trunks. These tropical plants thrive in warm environments, growing easily without extreme coaxing or care. Watch the growth of a cycad in the landscape and prune it periodically to keep it healthy and attractive. Although exceedingly slow growing, with the proper technique, pruning cycads will help them produce the signature umbrella appearance with the textured trunks.
Hymenocallis, commonly known as spider lily, produces a dainty white flower in midsummer. The lightly fragrant blooms sit atop tall, slender stems, filling a sunny flower garden with delightful scents. The spider lily plant grows from bulbs under the soil. Propagate hymenocallis by digging up the parent plant and separating the bulbs into smaller pieces. Once you replant the smaller bulb pieces, they will grow into more spider lily plants to fill a growing area.
The Wandering Jew, Tradescantia, has a reputation as a tough houseplant than can stand neglect. It has some preferences, and paying attention to its optimum light and watering needs may help you revive a Wandering Jew that's failing. Learning the basics of houseplant care and the specifics for meeting a Wandering Jew's needs and you may be able to transform your unhappy plant into a thriving Wandering Jew that will produce many more plants to enhance your home.
Five-leaf akebia, or Akebia quinata, which is also commonly referred to as "chocolate vine," is a rapidly growing twining vine, reaching 30 feet in length. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. In spring, it produces chocolate-purple colored flowers with a slight chocolate fragrance. Its occasional bluish-purple fruits are sausage-shaped and as long as 3 inches. Considered invasive on the East Coast of the U.S., the chocolate vine requires annual pruning.
Wastewater treatment facilities produce their own waste products in the process of recycling industrial wastewater. The end result of the process is the creation of "filter cakes" that are the leftover residue created by the extraction of water from the wastewater facility. Oftentimes, the cakes are gathered up and transported to a landfill where they just serve as further waste. Some wastewater treatment facilities recycle the cakes, but the process itself is not all that cost-effective.
Homeowners face a myriad of problems with plant care during the winter. Plants such as jasmine (Jasminum spp.) are generally hardy, but a wide range of environmental and pest problems can cause them to develop curling yellow leaves. Indoor plants are sometimes accidentally cooked in windows or while sitting above heat registers; outdoor plants can suffer from a range of mineral deficiencies.
The Satsuma plum fruit tree is a Japanese plum species (Prunus salicina) that typically winters well in USDA Zones 4 to 9. Mature Satsuma plum trees bear medium-size, red and sweet Japanese plums. Although Japanese plum varieties are the most commonly grown plum species in the United States, the susceptibility of Satsuma plum trees to certain plant diseases creates problems with tree production and longevity.
Red oak (Quercus rubra), like most oaks, is susceptible to a wide range of pathogens that attack the root system. Many of these are caused by fungal infections that enter the tree through wounds such as a gash or scrape caused by mowing too close to the tree and its roots. Some fungal infections are easily spotted, because they form fungal structures around the base of the tree that might look and smell like large, flat mushroom caps or spongy "shelves." Diagnosing the specific fungus is crucial to determining proper treatment. Although some pathogen test kits might be available for…
Freshly harvested tomatoes, still warm from the late summer sun, exemplify the vegetable harvest for many home gardeners. Commercial growers and truck farmers depend on bountiful tomato crops for seasonal income. Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is a devastating fungal disease that threatens home and commercial gardens alike. The disease infects both tomatoes and potatoes; it's now known to be the culprit that wiped out potato crops in mid-19th century Ireland, causing widespread famines.
Untreated crown rot in a garden or landscape causes widespread plant destruction. Caused from a soil pathogen in the genus Phytophthora, crown rot affects shrubs, trees, vegetables and ornamentals. The fungus requires moist, warm soil to spread. During the warm seasons, afflicted plants will suddenly wilt and die. The leaves of the sick plant may show discoloration. Large trees often exhibit symptoms on one branch, but over the course of years the disorder will progress until the entire tree is engulfed and perishes. Plants suffering from crown rot usually have brown or black areas of discoloration on the bark, near…
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is a versatile landscape shrub used for group plantings, hedges and specimen plantings. While it has no showy flowers to offer, the burning bush puts on a spectacular fall display with its crimson foliage. Premature leaf drop in the burning bush can be a big disappointment for a homeowner. The most common causes of leaf drop are infestations of twospotted spider mites and winged euonymus scale.
The creation of a semitropical paradise in your greenhouse or backyard is easy with placement of the sago palm and other tropical and semitropical plants. Yet a landscape scheme can be upset when the palm's leaves turn yellow, indicating ill health and possible poor plant maintenance. As with all plant care, understanding the cause of the yellowing is your best bet for saving your sago palm.
Whether you are trying to put in a vegetable crop that will put food on the table or you are trying to grow ornamental flowers that beautify your yard, noticing crisp, brown edges on your leaves can be a sign of serious problems. The edges of your plants’ leaves should have a regular shape and be a uniform green. If you notice that the leaves have acquired a singed look, it is time to figure out what is happening and what might fix it.
Although the foxtail palm, Wodyetia bifurcata, is native to Australia, it is grown outdoors in warm climates throughout the world and makes a good indoor container plant in cold climates. It is important to carefully look at the roots and the overall health of the plant before purchasing a foxtail palm. Roots that are brown, squishy or flat are a sign of root rot. Water logged soil is another problem that leads to root rot.
Curry plants (Helichrysum italicum) are perennial herbs that can be grown in the home garden. However, they are not the plants from which curry powder is derived--curry powder is a mixture of many different types of spices. Curry plants are also grown for their ornamental qualities and for their oil. If the curry plants in your garden are beginning to turn brown on the leaf tips, several reasons could be the cause. Though it could be harmless, a proper diagnosis could save your plants.
Plant a towering cherry tree and you'll lose a good deal of your crop to local birds, which are much better suited to plucking fruits from the tree's upper branches than even the nimblest gardener. To increase your usable yield or simply to accommodate a small garden, you can opt for a dwarf or semidwarf cherry tree. The former are genetically bred for small size, and the latter are produced through grafting onto dwarfing rootstocks.
Goldenrod is a perennial plant with a central stem that can grow up to 3 feet tall. Drooping, slender leaves grow along the stem. The leaves can grow up to 8 inches long. The goldenrod plant features a crown of clusters of small, golden flowers. Often, when a disease infects the goldenrod plant, the leaves are the first to display symptoms. Some diseases, such as powdery mildew do not appear until after the plant begins to bloom, during the middle of the summer.
A bottlebrush plant turning brown is indicative of a number of potential issues that stem from roots to crown. The bottlebrush plant (Callistemon) is a hardy evergreen indigenous to Australia. It has a distinctive flower that resembles a brush used to clean the interior of a bottle, hence the name. Bottlebrush plants range from dwarf shrubs no more than 3 to 4 feet high to trees up to 16 feet tall and can live 15 to 45 years depending on care, soil conditions and temperatures. They can even be bonsai plants as well. Their colors range from bright red and…
Overwatering your houseplants can lead to unhealthy plants that may eventually die unless you take corrective action. Perhaps the most common mistake made by home gardeners, overwatering restricts a plant's access to oxygen in the potting medium and starves the roots of needed nutrients. It also makes your plant more susceptible to disease.
Tap water contains a variety of dissolved minerals, including calcium and magnesium carbonates. When water containing high levels of these mineral salts evaporates from a surface, it leaves behind an unsightly whitish residue known as lime scale. This hard mineral residue is insoluble in water, and scrubbing it with abrasive materials can damage the finish of fixtures and other surfaces. Therefore, it’s best to dissolve lime scale with a common household acid like lemon juice or white vinegar.
Euphorbia tirucalli is known by a few names, including pencil tree, finger tree, milk bush and, perhaps most commonly, finger cactus. Native to Africa and India, Euphorbia tirucalli grows well in hot, dry climates, and is sometimes used as an ornamental house plant in the United States.
The olive tree (Olea europaea) is the only species in the Olea genus that produces fruit suitable for human consumption. It is a hardy evergreen that is cultivated throughout Europe, Asia and North America. Olive trees can live for centuries and are resistant to decay and physical damage. Olives are cultivated commercially and domestically for their fruit, but they also serve as ornamentals in landscaping. They are vulnerable to several pathogenic organisms, including fungi and bacteria, that damage or even kill mature trees.
Most orchids are epiphytes, or "air plants," a type of plant that doesn't grow in soil. Orchids require air circulation around their roots and grow well in coarse potting media such as redwood bark, coconut fiber, mulch or a specialty mix designated for orchids. Orchids don't need soil for nutrition; potting materials are used only for holding the plants upright.
Homegrown lemon trees provide warm-climate gardeners with an abundant supply of the citrus fruit. The cold-sensitive trees are grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10, and in containers in coolers areas. However, home citrus tree growers can encounter problems, including yellowing and falling foliage, if the plant’s growing needs are not met. Inspect the plant frequently for signs of stress and take measures immediately to correct the problem.
Dwarf English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens "Suffruticosa") is susceptible to the same diseases and problems as their larger relatives. Phytophthora root rot is a common, serious disease of dwarf English boxwoods. The pathogen is soil-borne and difficult to eradicate. The disease causes discolored, dull foliage and stunted growth above ground, and roots dwindle and turn brown below ground. Phytophthora root rot can kill dwarf English boxwoods if left untreated.
Your garden is a varied ecosystem that includes many varieties of fungus that live in the soil. Some of these fungi are beneficial and help plants grow, while others harm and kill them. One of the most important first steps in treating a soil fungus is correctly identifying it. One way to do this is to mail or take a soil sample to your local county extension office. Whether you know the type of fungus you're dealing with or not, however, soil solarization will kill the offending population with heat. This process must be applied in June or July, or…
The myrtle-leaf milkwort, Polygala myrtifolia, grows wild across a wide expanse of South African terrains, from the stormy coast to the hot, dry interior. Evergreen, oval-to-needlelike foliage and a months-long display of white-stamened, mauve blooms make this shrub a widely grown, mild-climate ornamental. A pair of root and leaf diseases, however, cause Polygala myrtifolia's grey or green leaves to turn yellow. Without preventive measures, both diseases spread rapidly.
Native to North America, the sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a fast-growing, deciduous tree thriving in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. Also called buttonball and American planetree, the long-lived tree grows to heights of 50 to 70 feet, making it appear out of scale and too large in a residential landscape. You can cut back a sycamore left to grow and spread in the yard. Use sterilized pruning equipment to reduce the spread of disease during pruning.
Hemlocks are evergreen trees that grow in a pyramid shape from 40 feet to 80 feet tall. Healthy hemlock trees display dense growth of 1/2 inch and dark green needles with blue-green undersides that droop at the branch tips. Mature trees produce miniature, green pinecones that turn brown during their second year of growth. Hemlock trees belong to the pine family and can suffer from two potential diseases and molds that affect the pine needles, seeds and roots of the trees.
The sago palm is known for its elegance and classic good looks. Whether you grow these attractive palms indoors or out in a garden, it is important to care for and maintain them properly. Part of that care includes leaving as much of the crown and foliage intact as possible, while lightly pruning the plant to keep it healthy. Cutting into the crown at the palm's top is dangerous to its health and it should never be removed.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is kept as a houseplant because of its cheerful foliage and propensity to spawn plantlets on shoots that look like small hanging spiders. These plants are a favorite among homeowners due to their reputation for being indestructible. Spider plants do tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, but they can develop brown tips on their foliage under certain conditions.
The flowering maple, botanically known as Abutilon, is a warm-weather shrub that features showy, drooping, bell-shaped flowers, usually in shades of red. Technically not a maple tree but a member of the hibiscus family, the flowering maple derives its name from its maple-shaped leaves. This hardy shrub adapts well to life as a houseplant and is fairly resistant to pests and diseases. Yet even the robust flowering maple can become diseased or stressed if its requirements are not met. Identifying the reason for browning, brittle leaves is the first step toward correcting the problem.
Cosmos produce daisylike blooms atop slender stems. Colors range from pale yellow and pink to brilliant shades of red and gold, with several variegated varieties. These prolific bloomers create a color sensation that lasts for months, making them a favorite among gardeners. Of the more than 20 species of cosmos, just two are common in home gardens.
Black root rot (Thielaviopsis basicola) fungus affects a wide range of ornamental and agricultural plants, including oranges and other citrus trees. The fungus spreads rapidly at temperatures between 51 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, becoming largely inactive above 86 degrees. Heat-loving orange trees have the greatest risk of contamination during the wet, cool days of spring. Black root rot attacks orange seedlings as well as mature trees.
Known for its eye-catching foliage, the lemon lime dracaena produces strap-like foliage that measures up to 2 feet in length and 2 inches in width. A hybrid of D. deremensis, the plant can attain a height of 10 feet. The houseplant thrives with only minimal care, but if its needs are not met, it can suffer from yellow foliage and leaf loss.
Yews, or ornamental trees and shrubs in the genus Taxus, beautify yards and gardens of homeowners throughout the country. Grown for its attractive foliage, the yew's evergreen leaves possess toxic properties and have caused serious injuries when eaten by livestock. Yews have relatively few vulnerabilities to disease and insects, but various problems still affect them.
The beautiful flowers of rhododendrons are a treat in such areas as the Pacific Northwest, where they thrive. some species grow as far north as the arctic and into tropical regions, where a species called Vireya graces yards in Hawaii, Florida and other areas that are warm year-round. They are generally easy to grow, but rhododendrons can become the victims of plant diseases that include root rot and bud blight.
