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I noticed dark dots on some of the leaves which I assume is not a good sign... but at the same time new leaves have been growing and are a beautiful green and spotless, so I am confused. Do you have an idea of what that could be?

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Absurdev
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    Check the undersides of the leaves and stems for signs of webbing or tiny insects - you might need a magnifying glass. Are you keeping this as a houseplant? How long have you had the plant? – Bamboo Sep 23 '19 at 19:12
  • @Bamboo you're right there are quite a bunch of tiny white worms, and actually I think you can see some of theme on the first picture!... So they are likely responsible for the leaf problem? Do you have any advice how to treat that? It is a houseplant and I had that plant for just a month. – Absurdev Sep 23 '19 at 20:09
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    There look to be a fair few - I'd just remove the worst affected ones, otherwise you'll end up with a fairly defoliated plant. Maybe it is thrips as mentioned in the other answer, but they're usually brown black or yellow rather than white and adults have wings http://www.saferbrand.com/advice/insect-library/garden-insects/thrips – Bamboo Sep 24 '19 at 09:32

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I was suspecting spider mite, but you say you can see 'worms' - these are probably larvae, assuming they're moving and not fixed, but don't have wings, and with no white fluffy bits around then. Not sure what they might be because I can't see them clearly (although yes, there are blurry white things visible) but try spraying with neem oil spray, including beneath the leaves - either that or try to get a better, higher resolution photo that's more readily magnified clearly. And yes, they are the likely cause of the leaf problem...

Bamboo
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  • Thank you, It's the first time I have to deal with insects on my houseplants! You're likely guessing right they are moving and don't appear to have wings. nor being fluffy. If I may ask, what should I do with the leaves which are dotted? Leave them or remove them? – Absurdev Sep 23 '19 at 20:31
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It's thrips. Set out Orius predatory bugs in the foliage, they will eat them.

Neem oil doesn't do much by the way, aside from stinking up the place. Don't believe the hype. The dots are thrips excrements, the pale/silverish discolorations are where they have sucked the leaf cells dry.

Identify them if you like with a 60x magnifying loupe, they are very small but the signs are obvious. You will find them on the spotted leaves, with bare eyes they will resemble small flecks of sawdust. The predatory bugs (orius) are available online.

Barry Cosemans
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