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My indoor plant is sick...

Leareth

Leareth

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 11, 2004
1,569
6
Vancouver
I was hoping that some people on macrumors might be plant experts.
anywho here goes my sad story:

one of my plants it think it is a fake lemon tree started turning all patchy on the top side of the leaves , it almost looks like the waxy layer is peeling off, then I noticed these little fly things on the bottom of the leaves I have tried rinsing the plant off a few time but it never goes away

does anybody know what this is and can I get rid of it? I have had this plant for 12 years , when I first got it it was a foot long and now it is nearly 6 feet high and it would be a pity to lose it.

see picture

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the two dots near the stem on the second picture are the little flies.
 

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Have you given it a bath in insecticidal soap?

iSaint's suggestion is a good one - don't take it into the nursery though - ask them to come outside and look so you do not infest their stock. ;)
 
sounds like it could be aphids....

iGary had it right... use a water/dishsoap mixture (home made, or you can buy at nursery)... search google and will tell you how to mix... spray the plant with the saopy water for a few days.... should kill the fly's and hopefully the plant will regain its health...

good luck;)
 
I once killed a cactus, so I'm probably the wrong person to help, but I'd put some of the leaves you're talking about into a ziplock bag and take it to a nursery like the others have suggested.
 
Abstract said:
I once killed a cactus, so I'm probably the wrong person to help, but I'd put some of the leaves you're talking about into a ziplock bag and take it to a nursery like the others have suggested.
Click to expand...

Me too. I like plants but they don't seem to like me. I kill every plant I try to keep.

After my failure with bonsai and cactus I've switched to bamboo plants. I've had one for 3 days now and it's still alive. I think this one's going to make it. (fingers crossed)
 
Abstract said:
I once killed a cactus
Click to expand...

I've got 4 cactuses at the moment, I adopted it (1) 4 years ago... it's like a Mogwai though, all I do is water it... and it multiplies :eek: it went from 1 to 7 cactuses in 3 years, I had to throw 3 away last year, because I didn't have enough vases to hold them.
 
Forgive me for hijacking the thread but I have a related question. Does anyone know a good, easy to look after indoor plant? I've been browsing at ones for a while but never actually got round to getting one.

I hate not having a garden! :(
 
On another note does anyone know what plant this is?
its tree-like and the leaves are about 3 inches long

I have tried the soap water thing for the last two weeks and its just getting worse.
 
It's kind of hard to tell but my vote would be for mites. Mites will discolour leaves like that and might be hard to kill with a contact insecticidal like a soap will help too much. Your best bet will be a systemic insecticide like confidor (if that's available where you are or there are others like folimat or rogor). Conversely there are also some predatory mites available on the market that will eat your infestation.

It looks to be a ficus though so you'll be hard killing so don't stress too much. They are one of the toughest plants on earth :).

Edit: I'll be more confident. I can 100% guarantee that it's mites and you'll need to use a systemic insecticide.
 
Leareth said:
On another note does anyone know what plant this is?
its tree-like and the leaves are about 3 inches long

I have tried the soap water thing for the last two weeks and its just getting worse.
Click to expand...

It's a ficus benjamina or hillii. It's a ornamental fig in other words. They are a lovely plant for indoors and are very hardy. Two fantastic ones that are fairly new to the market are sold under 'midnight' and 'emerald green'. They are really hardy, very bushy, and can take quite low light situations. The only real problems they can get is a large leaf drop if they don't get enough water (or in fact too much) although they will grow back. The most common disease is thrips which disfigures the new growing leaves. Occasionally they can get other disases such as scale or mites although this is most common when they're stressed.

I'd recommend a ficus if you want something relatively large, sansevieria if you want something structural, spathyphyllum if you want something lush and green, or a dracena (i.s. corn or happy plant) if you want something structural. Plants are cool :cool:.
 
Jade trees (sometimes called a Money tree here in the UK, although this is actually NOT the same tree. You want the one Crassula Ovata, or Crassula arborescens which is even better at coping with heat)

The darn things never die, don't need watering for months, any location. Succulent, hold water in their leaves. Cope well in any temp over 5 degrees. Does flower, easy to grow, harder to bonsai, but it can be done.

And pick up any leaves they drop cause one fallen leave seems to make a new plant half the time.

My bamboo died a while back, the recent hot weather in the UK came on quick and scorched the leaves (It was in the window).

The Jade on the other hand is just lovin' the sun!
 
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