0

Any ideas what pest is plaguing my hibiscus?

I kept it outdoors in central New Mexico until about 3--4 months ago when the temperature went below freezing. It's been inside since. I've had it for nearly 2 years.

enter image description here enter image description here

BaronFiner
  • 123
  • 4
  • How long has it been in the same pot? - was it in that when it was outdoors? and does the pot have a drainage hole? – Bamboo Feb 02 '21 at 11:55
  • @Bamboo it has been in that pot since we bought it. The pot does have a drainage hole. – BaronFiner Feb 02 '21 at 19:40

1 Answers1

1

It rather looks like spider mite damage. The mites are very tiny and might not be clearly visible to unmagnified vision, so if you have a magnifying lens look very carefully on the underside of the lower leaves. The mites suck juices from the underside causing the cells to collapse and die in spots and leave sunken areas and eventually shot-holes in the leaves.

Consult a local garden centre for the appropriate type of spray for your area, and if you choose to treat this way (an alternate is to junk the plant and get a new uninfected one) make sure to treat the leaf undersides thoroughly.

Colin Beckingham
  • 19,612
  • 1
  • 12
  • 43
  • Thank you. I had considered the possibility of spider mites. About 4 days before I took those pictures, I completely submerged the plant in a bathtub for an hour, as suggested here https://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/spidermites.htm. I'm not sure if the yellowing is an artifact of the damage done before submersion, or if it's the result of another pest. – BaronFiner Feb 02 '21 at 22:47