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about a two month ago, I planted my first mango plant. It was growing nicely and it looked gorgeous. Then week ago purple-red-brownish spots started to appear on the leaves (coincidence or not, only on the leaves that are facing the sun).

The climate where I live is rather cold during the Winter and Autumn, and even though my mango plant is facing the south, during these periods of the year, sunny and warm days are very rare.

I thought I was over watering it, so I planted it in a new (plastic) pot with dry soil, also I bought a fertilizer for plant growing in winter.

What should I do? Should I cut the leaves? Is there something I can do, or its just impossible to grow these kinds of tropical plants without the appropriate weather?

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J. Musser
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TheQ
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    Can you please clarify whether this plant is indoors or outdoors, what variety of mango it is, and where you are if the plant is outdoors (or your USDA hardiness zone) – Bamboo Oct 14 '14 at 16:37
  • Indoors, no idea what kind of a mango it is. got the seed fro the mango fruit I bought in shop. – TheQ Oct 14 '14 at 16:42
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    What are the spots like? If they are soft and damp, it is a bacterial spot. If dry, then something else. – J. Musser Oct 14 '14 at 22:49
  • And for now, don't cut the leaves. Not unless you get a definite diagnosis that requires that. – J. Musser Oct 15 '14 at 02:44
  • spots don't feel like anything, except the area around them feel rather dry – TheQ Oct 15 '14 at 04:24
  • whats on the undersides of the leaves? A closeup picture would help diagnose any pests. – kevinskio Oct 16 '14 at 23:10
  • I'm just guessing, but it might be some kind of algae disease (like algal leaf spot), if it's only happening on the leaves that get sun. What's your elevation? Maybe the amount of UV light is affecting it. – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx Oct 17 '14 at 23:23
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    The leaves also look like they have chlorosis. This could possibly be the effect of a lack of nutrients in the potting mix. Exactly which fertilizer were you using, and how much/often? – J. Musser Oct 19 '14 at 03:12

1 Answers1

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First, as for your question about growth climate, the mango will thrive outside of tropical regions, so I wouldn't give up on it! This article from SFGate says:

You can grow a mango tree outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture Zones 8-10. In cooler climates, grow a mango indoors or in a greenhouse.

As the commenters have said, more information is needed about your specific plant, but it may have a common and serious fungal disease called Anthracnose. According to the above-mentioned article,

Dry brown spots on the leaves of a mango tree are an early indicator of the disease Anthracnose, caused by a fungus under the scientific name Colletotrichum Gleosporiodes. The spots may be brown or black when they first appear and have an angular shape to them.

Wet trees are most susceptible, and careful watering is important, as the fungus is spread when drops of water from an infected leaf splash onto a healthy part of the plant. If left unchecked, Anthracnose can spread to stems, branches, flowers and fruit, and may be fatal.

In it's article entitled "Mango Tree Diseases," Love to Know describes this as well as other common problems which affect mango trees in the United States.

Spraying with a copper-based fungicide is recommended in both articles, as is regular pruning of affected areas. (I'm not saying you should trim your leaf, as you don't know that it has this disease.) Mention is also made that spreading potash in the soil around the base of the plant in the winter can be helpful.

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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