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I have this shade plant in my home. The leaves are becoming dry, turning yellow and developing black dots on them. I don't know whats wrong with it.

If it's a lack of food, I can give it compost, compost tea or kristalon.

Can you please tell me what's wrong?

My plant Black dots on leaves Dry leaves Yellow leaves

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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user2120121
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2 Answers2

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Your plant appears to be an Areca palm which is now known as Dypsis lutescens.

This looks like a combination of factors:

  • overwatering promotes anerobic conditions in the soil which promote fungus. The black spots and brown spots are indicators of this. Another identification is the classic signs of fungus growth which is a spot with a ring on the inside of a different colour. The fungus grows and consumes plant material and then stops which causes the ring. The next round of growth increases the size of the spot.
  • the leaves with green veins and yellow areas could be an iron deficiency. This is common with a peat based soil mix and alkaline tap water. As time goes and the organic matter is consumed the soil becomes alkaline and iron/managanese are harder for the plants roots to take up.

I suggest

  • repotting the plant with new soil less plant mix
  • moving to an area with higher light
  • one or two applications of acid plant fertilizer at half strength at two week intervals
  • water less often
kevinskio
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  • Yes, even wo knowing species, that looks like a **high light** plant. – Wayfaring Stranger Feb 13 '16 at 01:59
  • First about the soil, any recommendations for potting mix, I have peat moss, compost and perlite. Second about the fertilizer, I only can get compost, kirstalon or I can make compost tea or grass tea because we don't have commercial fertilizers here. Also if you have another organic recipe I can make it. – user2120121 Feb 13 '16 at 16:17
  • How to make your own potting mix and fertilizers are a good fit for a new question or two. Why not ask them? – kevinskio Feb 14 '16 at 14:10
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It looks like manganese deficiency to me. Palms like plenty of manganese, I've read. Manganese can be less available when the PH gets too high. So, if there's calcium that's been added to the soil, that can raise the PH and be a problem.

I would give it some manganese and maybe some nitrogen, too. The link links to a manganese sulfate product I purchased once. It seemed to be good quality. The link also talks about manganese deficiency in palms (how it's a common problem and how regular application of manganese will benefit palms).

Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
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