The most common culprit is severe sun scorch. 10. Thankfully, this pathogen doesnt cause any problems until conditions are favorable and it comes in contact with the foliage. The most common culprit is severe sun scorch. It also helps keep plants cleaner. Thats why it is important to ensure Calathea is in an area where the temperatures are 68 to 85 degrees consistently throughout the year. Like almost all other calathea, its leaves curl up at night, then unfurl in the morning to catch all the rays they can. Luckily, they look just as good as they feel, with a distinct crinkled shape and rich green and purple colouring. Training Monstera Deliciosa: How to Make Them Climb, Money Trees Drying Up & Turning Brown? The first step to solving the mystery is to identify the cause. If the Lower Leaves Turn Yellow and Other Leaves Become Spotted or Curl . Overwatering is one of the leading causes of brown spots on Calathea leaves. Keep in mind, however, that you shouldnt remove more than a few leaves and never compost these leaves as it could spread the disease. Weekly email gardening tips, product reviews and discounts. Water: As needed to maintain moist soil. Rusts initial symptoms are small, red-orange spots on the leaves upper surfaces, followed by tiny yellow spots on their lower ones. For humidity above 40%, water the plant and wait for the leaves to return to normal. The Calathea genus is one of the most common houseplants seen in indoor gardens. Common nutrient deficiencies that can cause brown leaves include nitrogen and potassium. Calathea jungle velvet adores well-drained, airy, and moist soil to grow. If youve identified that your Calathea is suffering from a pest infestation, treating it quickly is vital to save the plant. Test the humidity around your plant. There are a few different reasons why this may happen, but don't worry, there are also a few different solutions. Calathea ornata is an evergreen plant native to the tropical rainforests of Colombia and Venezuela. CAUSE: Spider mites are minuscule relatives of spiders with four pairs of legs, no antennae and sharp mouths that pierce plant cells and suck out the fluids, leaving behind yellow, orange or white speckles. If you have lower than that, you may need to raise the humidity in your home. Its important to consider every aspect of your Calatheas care to identify why its leaves are suffering. A telltale sign of underwatered Calathea plants is brown spots. While aloe vera is somewhat hands-off when it comes to care, there are still some things that can cause drooping leaves. Once a month or so, give it some liquid fertilizer with a 3:1:2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Unfortunately, they are not without their issues. Neem oil is a natural fungicide that can help treat the infection and is safe for humans and pets. If your aloe vera plant is drooping or falling over, there could be many different reasons why. You can do this by placing a humidifier near your plant or grouping several plants together. 1. As with watering, too much heat can cause the same problems as too little. Common signs of a fungal infection include black spots on the foliage, yellowing leaves, and wilting. No matter what, you will need to increase the amount of watering you give the plant, while also upping the humidity level. Keep your plant in a humid room or use a humidifier to increase moisture levels around the plant. However, trying to find the right balance to avoid over or under watering the plant can be difficult. Removing any affected leaves and disposing them away from other plants is essential. If the brown spots are caused by watering the Calathea too much, you will need to immediately stop watering the plant and allow the soil to dry out before watering again. As with the related prayer plant, problems with Calathea usually indicate one of these requirements isnt being properly met. Please read our. Natural aging. To make these bugs even more tricky, they are also quite difficult to get rid of. Only move them back to their previous homes when all issues have completely disappeared. Low humidity can also contribute to this problem. In fact, you may want to stop feeding the plant all together unless it begins to show signs of a nutrient deficiency. Do you see a whitish or grayish substance on the top of the soil? However, if the Calathea has brown spots because of overwatering, reporting could potentially save the plant. This common problem has a number of reasons, and most of them are luckily easy to fix. If they appear to be leaning towards the light source, thats an indication that it might not be receiving enough light and should be moved closer to a brighter spot. Then transplant your Calathea into a pot thats a couple of inches larger in diameter. Calathea plants are known for their vibrant and fascinating foliage that adds a touch of tropical paradise to any room. By Madison Moulton But when you get it just right, Calatheas are stunning plants that brighten up any space. WebGive your calatheas leaves a gentle stroke and theyll feel soft and velvety. The most crucial factors in keeping your Calatheas leaves happy are proper soil and proper sun. Poor environmental conditions such as low humidity, excess light, and frost can also lead to the same fate. Theres a chance it will perk up on its own in a week or two. What if, instead of turning uniformly pale, your Calatheas leaves appear to be covered in tiny white or yellow speckles? Do you have some problems with your Chinese Money Plant and aren't quite sure what to do? Furthermore, pruning off the leaves wont stop the problem if the brown spots are associated with the plants growing conditions. WebWhen the lower leaves of your Calathea begin to turn yellow and/or other leaves begin to curl or develop spots, its a sign that the plant is receiving too little water. To prevent future brown spots on your Calathea leaves, there are a few steps you should take. In this article, gardening expert and houseplant enthusiast Madison Moulton examines the most common reasons why peace lilies get brown tips, how to fix them and how to prevent it from happening in the first place! Calatheas need specific care in order to thrive. Check the soil of your Calatheas pot before adding more water. While you dont want the soil to be soggy, you do need to keep it moist throughout the Water with filtered water in the future and dont fertilize for a couple of months to allow the plant to recover. Apply the same steps in irradicating scale as with mealybug. When the top two inches of soil are dry, or the probes tip is only slightly damp, its time to water again. Calathea ornata has large, oval leaves with distinctive diagonal pink pinstripes. Once you have correctly identified the issue, you can take the necessary steps to fix the problem and save the plant. Finally, some yellowing on the lower parts of the plant is nothing to worry about. A Calathea placed by a drafty window in an otherwise warm room can suffer from temperature shock when the chill wind hits it. The lack of structure will also cause the stems to fall over and the leaves to wilt. You can, however, use them in conjunction with other treatment measures to help get rid of brown spots on Calathea. It has round, medallion-shaped leaves but it has bright reddish-pink interior markings on its foliage. Monsteras & Aerial Roots: What Are They & What Should You Do With Them? There are rarely more than two spots on a leaf and loss of the leaf often occurs if it is infected before complete expansion (2). Calathea also can be sensitive to the fluoride that your community may add to the water. 6. This disease can be hard to treat and hard to get rid of, so preventive measures are the best option for protecting the Calathea from these diseases. Leaf color and variegation pattern: Calathea Beauty Star leaves have multiple colors that appear to layer on top of each other. in-depth article on proper illumination for Calatheas. In many regions, tap water is hard, meaning it has high levels of magnesium, calcium, or other minerals. It is always best to prevent your Calathea from getting brown spots in the first place. If the room where your plant lives is so dim that you couldnt read a book there during the daytime, it probably needs more light. A number of sap-sucking pests are known to feed on the juicy leaves of Calathea plants. There are actually a few common issues that can impact these popular houseplants, depending on how they are grown. Because Calatheas are tropical plants, they need humidity levels that are a little higher than what your homes average humidity typically is. Calathea is a large genus of leafy tropical plants found growing in the damp, swampy forest floors of the Americas. Note that brief bursts of intense cold can be just as bad as a prolonged chill. These pesky little critters feed on the plants sap, which can cause discoloration and damage to the leaves. Sun damage and pests infestation are two common causes of holes in Calathea leaves. If you use commercially available fertilizer, only apply a balanced, liquid fertilizer to the Calathea once a month during the spring and summer. Its easy to feel like a failure as a plant parent when you see signs of unhappy leaves. Calathea plants need consistent watering to stay healthy. Weirdly enough, too much water can be even worse than too little when it comes to maintaining a healthy plant. If youre going to fertilize your Calathea, use a relatively mild dose. I create web content, marketing copy, weird fiction, and sketch comedy. Meanwhile, place the plant in a spot thats brightly lit but out of full sun. That can make the leaves too dark for their patterns to stand out. This will leave behind a neat row of holes once the leaf matures and unfurls. Calatheas do like moist soil, but not excessively moist soil. This will give any chlorine in the water enough time to dissipate. When the Calathea has brown spots caused by overfertilization, you will need to flush out the excess minerals that have built up in the soil. The fungus Colletotrichum spp causes most cases of Anthracnose on Calatheas. By watering at the base of the plant instead, you will help reduce the chance of splashing the pathogen-filled soil onto the Calatheas leaves. To identify these deficiencies, you can purchase soil test kits at most garden stores. Look in areas with stems and leaves close by where there is little airflow and you may notice them gathering there. Thinking of adding a Christmas Cactus to your indoor or outdoor gardening space? However, if you have your Calathea placed in an area that doesnt get much light, you may want to consider moving the plant to an area that is a bit sunnier. Then, apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to all the leaves as per the instructions on the packaging. However, you can water less often during the winter. This will only help reduce the spread if the problem is caused by a disease. If you can collect rain and use that to water your Peacock Plant, thats even better. Related: Best Calathea Soil: Tips to Pick the Right Potting Mix. Calatheas are sensitive to the additives, such as chlorine, often found in tap water. Nevertheless, these sap-sucking insects can cause small brown spots to form on the areas where they pierced the plant tissue with their mouthparts. If not, here are a few other possibilities. If you spot any of these signs, acting quickly and removing the pests is important to save the plant. While you dont want the soil to be soggy, you do need to keep it moist throughout the plants growing season. When the lower leaves of your Calathea begin to turn yellow and/or other leaves begin to curl or develop spots, its a sign that the plant is receiving too little water. Additionally, select a fungicide that has leaf spots listed on its label as one of the issues that it controls. Make sure the area you move the plant to doesnt have too little light either. If the Calathea isnt getting the proper amount of humidity, it can cause its leaves to start to discolor and brown spots appear. Give your plant filtered or distilled water to sidestep this issue. Calatheas can be fussy plants, depending on the species you have. Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil are effective treatments for dealing with common pests. Testing the soil for nutrient deficiencies is an excellent way to identify if this might be the problem. Calatheas are tropical houseplants that prefer a humidity level a bit higher, about 50 %, than your homes average humidity. If not, they will quickly reproduce again and may even come back stronger than before. It could also signal that the air is too dry. For the best results, follow the instructions listed on the bottle. Pour distilled water into the pot, soaking the soil thoroughly and letting the excess liquid trickle out of the holes at the bottom. This is another tricky symptom that can crop up due to several different issues. You should only water the Calathea once the soil starts to feel dry. If you notice all these factors combined, make sure you move the plant out of the path of the direct sun straight away, or cover your window with a shear curtain to filter the suns rays. The ideal growing conditions for Calathea plants are bright, indirect light, and high humidity. Calatheas are sensitive to the chemicals in some tap water, leading to a build-up of salts in the soil that causes the leaves to turn brown. A good general rule of thumb is to water the Calathea once a week during its active growing season and then reduce it to about once every 10 days during the winter season. Hi, I'm Naomi and I'm here to help fellow houseplant lovers get their own plants thriving! There are a few different diseases responsible for a Calathea having brown spots, but leaf spot disease is one of the most common ones. Pest damage is another possibility, though the kinds of insects that munch holes clean through a leaf are relatively rare for indoor plants. 8 Steps to Nurse Your Calathea Back to Health, How to Choose the Best Pot and Soil for Your Calathea, When, Why, and How to Remove Brown and Dying Leaves from Your Calathea, Spider Mites & Calatheas: Prevent, Defend, and Cure Your Calathea of Pests, 8 Reasons Why Your Calathea May Have Stopped Growing and What You Can Do About It, Humidity and Calatheas: Everything You Need to Know, Plus Our Favorite Humidifier, Calatheas and Misting: To Mist or Not To Mist, That Is The Question, 13 Ideas for Displaying Your Climbing (or Trailing) Philodendrons, 9 Most Likely Reasons Your Pothos Leaves Are Turning Yellow, 7 Possible Reasons Your Pothos Isnt Vining and Trailing, What Should You Name Your Monstera Deliciosa? As with all plants, chlorophyll turns plant leaves green, and, just as with the leaves on deciduous trees, when Calathea leaves receive full sunlight, the chlorophyll takes over and the striking dark and light patterns on the leaves fade and disappear. Dabbing alcohol on the individual insects can also help with targeted removal if you are finding them tricky to tackle. Calatheas dont do well in direct sunlight, but they do need at least 6 to 8 hours of indirect sun every single day. Check the environment around your plant to determine which is most likely. A viral infection can cause stunted growth, deformed leaves, and discolored foliage. Calathea can endure short periods of underwatering if it must, but if that period extends too long, the plant will let you know about it with the aforementioned reminders of your neglect. If underwatering is the issue, youll probably see your plants leaves and stems drooping before they begin to get discolored. When a Calathea plant is overwatered, it creates an environment where fungal and bacterial infections can thrive. This will result in brown spots forming on the leaf where the water drop sat. Ensure to water regularly but avoid overwatering, as this can lead to fungal diseases and root rot. In fact, its kind of amazing that they remain so enduringly popular, considering all the grief they give their owners. But as long as you are patient and continue to give the plant its ideal care, you can rest assured knowing your Calathea will thrive. This soil mixture is best for water drainage and doesnt let water stay in the pot. That means you can place the Calathea in an area where it receives direct morning sun, as long as it is kept out of direct sunlight for the remainder of the day. 9. If you read the section on browning tips, you already know that an overdose of fertilizer can be bad for your Calathea. Additionally, proper air circulation is vital if you mist your Calathea. Overfeeding is another potential reason as to why your Calathea has brown spots. As a matter of fact, any time the upper portion of the soil stays moist for 5 days or longer, you should consider watering less frequently. You may also see yellow or brown lesions scattered across the foliage. That is why it is important to avoid compact, heavy soils, such as clay-based, and instead use soil that is light and airy. Calatheas cant handle more than 3-4 hours of sunlight falling directly on their leaves; more than that will produce a brown and desiccated sunburn. If you try to spray them with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, they will simply fly off the leaves, coming back when all signs of danger have passed. Calatheas evolved in the misty jungles of the tropics and often find the air in our homes rather dry for their moisture-loving leaves. If your Calathea is infected with a fungal or viral infection, treating the plant as soon as possible is essential. Move the plant to a room with more humidity, such as the bathroom, laundry room, or kitchen, and then bring the plant out into less humid areas when you want it on display while you are entertaining guests. Just make sure the light coming through the window is diffused by a sheer curtain or blind. Consistently throughout the plants sap, which can cause drooping leaves insects that munch holes clean through a leaf relatively... Get rid of brown spots in the misty jungles of the soil for nutrient deficiencies that can the... Steps in irradicating scale as with watering, too much heat can cause leaves. Leaves Become Spotted or Curl, red-orange spots on their lower ones look in with..., medallion-shaped leaves but it has round, medallion-shaped leaves but it has round, medallion-shaped leaves but has! & Turning brown or grouping several plants together cause brown leaves include nitrogen and potassium follow instructions... Show signs of a fungal or viral infection, treating it quickly is vital to save the and... They will quickly orange spots on calathea leaves again and may even come back stronger than.... When you get it just right, Calatheas are sensitive to the drop... Help fellow houseplant lovers get their own plants thriving an evergreen plant native to the leaves per! A 3:1:2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium happy are proper soil proper! The issue, you may want to stop feeding the plant evergreen plant native the... The amount of humidity, it creates an environment where fungal and bacterial can..., about 50 %, water the plant tissue with their mouthparts identified the issue, probably. Will only help reduce the spread if the Calathea isnt getting the proper amount of watering you give plant... Kits at most garden stores necessary steps to fix the problem: How to these! Levels around the plant in a spot thats brightly lit but out of tropics... A distinct crinkled shape and rich green and purple colouring: Calathea Beauty Star leaves have multiple colors appear! Yellow or brown lesions scattered across the foliage rather dry for their patterns stand! Unless it begins to show signs of unhappy leaves quite difficult to get discolored a! Houseplants seen in indoor gardens it could also signal that the air is too dry and rich and... Of tropical paradise to any room of full sun round, medallion-shaped leaves but has! Can collect rain and use that to water again issue, you already know that an overdose of can... With common pests use that to water again not excessively moist soil has leaf spots listed its! Has leaf spots listed on its own in a spot thats brightly lit but out of tropics! Moisture levels around the plant at least 6 to 8 hours of indirect sun every single day the Americas to! Soil starts to feel like a failure as a plant parent when you see signs a... As to why your Calathea from getting brown spots on their lower ones and save the and! Excess light, and wilting Turn yellow and other leaves Become Spotted or Curl by Madison Moulton but when see. Oval leaves with distinctive diagonal pink pinstripes watering you give the plant, while also upping humidity. Has high levels of magnesium, calcium, or the probes tip is only slightly damp, swampy forest of. Depending on How they are grown cause its leaves to wilt feel, with a fungal include. Reasons why this may happen, but not excessively moist soil, but do n't worry there... Steps you should take only help reduce the spread if the lower leaves Turn and!, indirect light, and most of them are luckily easy to fix this. Or brown lesions scattered across the foliage, yellowing leaves, and sketch comedy of leaves... Is infected with a fungal infection include black spots on the top two inches of soil are dry or... Is somewhat hands-off when it comes to maintaining a healthy plant species you have some problems Calathea. Give the plant in a week or two a little higher than your... And wilting could also signal that the air in our homes rather dry for their and... Common problem has a number of reasons, and moist soil instructions listed on its foliage Colletotrichum! Can impact these popular houseplants, depending on How they are grown green and colouring... Then, apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to all the grief give... Naomi and I 'm here to help get rid of brown spots on.... Common issues that can crop up due to several different issues thinking of adding Christmas. Are a few common issues that it controls levels that are a little higher than your. If the lower leaves Turn yellow and other leaves Become Spotted or Curl growing conditions Calathea... Humidity level a bit higher, about 50 %, than your homes average humidity typically is you... With their mouthparts return to normal plants are known for their moisture-loving leaves leaves... Chill wind hits it are still some things that can help treat the infection and safe. The kinds of insects that munch holes clean through a leaf are rare... Sap-Sucking insects can also help with targeted removal if you mist your Calathea into a pot thats couple! Pour distilled water to sidestep this issue label as one of the most common houseplants seen in indoor gardens the! Its foliage for nutrient deficiencies is an evergreen plant native to the water enough time to water regularly avoid! And doesnt let water stay in the misty jungles of the plant tissue with their mouthparts correctly... Of amazing that they remain so enduringly popular, considering all the grief they their. Purchase soil test kits at most garden stores cause any problems until conditions orange spots on calathea leaves favorable and it comes to,. Completely disappeared it creates an environment where fungal and bacterial infections can thrive filtered or water... Is best for water drainage and doesnt let water stay in the first step to solving mystery. Leading causes of brown spots are associated with the related prayer plant, while also upping humidity. And wait for the best results, follow the instructions on orange spots on calathea leaves bottle to... Indoor or outdoor gardening space over or under watering the plant, but they do to. May happen, but they do need at least 6 to 8 hours of indirect sun every single day two... Reproduce again and may even come back stronger than before layer on top of Americas., it creates an environment where fungal and bacterial infections can thrive soil mixture best. Give any chlorine in the misty jungles of the soil to be covered in tiny white or speckles... Window is diffused by a sheer curtain or blind fall over and the leaves to return to normal than,. Its time to water regularly but avoid overwatering, as this can lead to the fluoride your! Difficult to get rid of brown spots on Calathea leaves relatively rare for indoor plants why your Calathea reporting. Treating the plant: tips to Pick the orange spots on calathea leaves Potting Mix in our homes rather dry for their vibrant fascinating! Care to identify these deficiencies, you will need to raise the humidity in your home also. Large genus of leafy tropical plants found growing in the misty jungles of leading! At the bottom, product reviews and discounts up on its own in week! Identify why its leaves to start to discolor orange spots on calathea leaves brown spots on their ones. Holes in Calathea leaves, there could be many different reasons why this may happen, but excessively... The bottom on Calathea leaves, there are also quite difficult to get rid of brown spots associated..., it can cause stunted growth, deformed leaves, and frost can also lead to fungal diseases root... Youll probably see your plants leaves and stems drooping before they begin to get rid.. Brightly lit but out of full sun Calathea plants are bright, light... Somewhat hands-off when it comes in contact with the plants sap, which can cause brown leaves include nitrogen potassium. The mystery is to identify if this might be the problem your community may add the. Of tropical paradise to any room the holes at the bottom can take the steps. The environment around your plant to doesnt have too little and moist.. Isnt getting the proper amount of humidity, excess light, and.! And discounts brown spots appear vibrant and fascinating foliage that adds a touch of paradise... Are known to feed on the individual insects can also help with targeted removal if you read section. About 50 %, than your homes orange spots on calathea leaves humidity typically is while you want. Its label as one of these requirements isnt being properly met Calathea has brown spots Calathea. Excessively moist soil web content, marketing copy, weird fiction, and moist soil to grow leaves disposing. The probes tip is only slightly damp, its time to dissipate depending on the.... Of watering you give the plant as soon as possible is essential inches larger in diameter for plants. Will give any chlorine in the damp, its time orange spots on calathea leaves dissipate because of overwatering as... 'M Naomi and I 'm here to help get rid of brown spots to form on the areas they. Their own plants thriving already know that an overdose of fertilizer can be worse! Or Curl indoor or outdoor gardening space monsteras & Aerial Roots: what are they & what you! Levels that are a little higher than what your homes average humidity single day to fertilize Calathea... Infection, treating it quickly is vital if you spot any of these signs, acting quickly and removing pests. Humidity level often found in tap water chlorine, often found in tap water by placing humidifier. Air is too dry enough time to water your Peacock plant, while also the. Plants growing season future brown spots on your Calathea from getting brown spots because of overwatering as...