Many gardeners ask why the tips of the dracaena leaves dry out. This plant is considered unpretentious, but it needs to be properly cared for. Otherwise, the flower may die.
Content
Description of Dracaena
Dracaena is a type of evergreen plant. Visually, they look like small, slender trees. The trunk can be single or have several side branches. The leaves are lanceolate, massive, and long.
Reasons for leaves drying out
The main reason for the drying of leaves is a limited lifespan. If the top was not affected, there is no need to worry: this is a natural process. However, if yellowing appears on all leaves or at the top, you need to pay attention to the care of the plant. Most often, the dying of the green part is caused by maintenance errors.
Disturbed microclimate
Leaves most often turn yellow in winter, although if there is insufficient watering they can begin to die off in summer. In the cold season, this is due to the increased work of heating batteries. In nature, dracaena grows in the tropics, so too dry air is harmful to it. To increase the humidity level, you can use a spray bottle, spray the plant or hang a wet cloth that will give off evaporation. Some gardeners leave containers of water next to the pot.
In summer, the plant is watered more often, showered regularly and sprayed up to 3-4 times a day.
Lack or excess of feeding
If there is a lack of nutrients, the plant has to use them sparingly. First of all, it refuses the oldest and youngest leaves. If there is too much fertilizing, the acid-base balance of the soil is disturbed. This leads to burning and dying of the roots. To prevent the death of the plant after transplantation, it is recommended to spray the soil with the growth stimulator "Epin".
Incorrect watering
Dracaena loves humid air, but does not tolerate stagnant water in the soil. The soil should have time to dry out after flooding. You cannot create a swamp microclimate. With excess water, the roots of the plant begin to rot, and the leaves - wither. In this case, it will be difficult to save the dracaena, since the problem lies not only in the upper part. However, drought is also dangerous for the flower: because of it, the leaves begin to die and fall off. It is recommended to water the plant once a week, the rest of the time spraying is carried out to increase the humidity level.
Wrong location
Dracaena should not be placed on sunny windows: some varieties survive on the north side, but most plants die from direct rays. Because of this, yellow spots appear not only on the tips of the leaves, but also on the entire surface. When choosing a place for the flower, it is recommended to take into account the characteristics of the plant variety.
Dracaenas with brightly colored foliage often require more light than solid-colored varieties.
Root rot
Roots can rot for various reasons. Most often, this happens due to improper watering and excess moisture, sometimes as a result of diseases or temperature changes. Dracaena roots can suffer at temperatures below +15°C. When the lower part rots, the leaves do not begin to turn yellow immediately, so the owner of the flower may notice the problem too late.
Dracaena diseases
Most often, yellowing of foliage is caused by diseases such as bacteriosis, alternaria, heterosporosis and phyllostictosis.
Bacteriosis
Bacteriosis is very dangerous for plants, as it is difficult to treat and can spread to neighboring flowers when sprayed. The disease can be identified by the appearance of ulcers and wrinkles on the trunk. Leaf rot begins from the top. Since the chances of curing the plant are low, if there are other flowers in the house, it is recommended to get rid of it to prevent infection.
Alternaria
Another name for alternaria is concentric spotting. The main symptom of the disease is the appearance of round dry spots on the leaves. The color of the damaged areas changes to light brown. Light dots and circles appear in the center. If you look closely, you can see white and dark fungal spores. They cause blackening of the living tissues of the plant. Fungicides are used to treat alternaria - antifungal drugs. You can treat dracaena with such agents as Fundazol, Topaz, etc.
Heterosporosis
Heterosporosis is a disease of fungal origin. It damages leaf blades on both sides. At the first stage, long yellow spots appear. As heterosporosis progresses, damaged areas darken and turn brown. A clear dark red border forms around the spots. In severe cases, fungal spores can be seen with the naked eye. The lesions continue to grow.
Heterosporosis is a dangerous disease, since the fungus spreads quickly and moves to the trunk and roots. Without treatment, the dracaena quickly dies. First, the upper leaves die, then the rest of the parts. The plants that are in dry rooms are most susceptible to the disease.
Phyllostictosis
Phyllostictosis is another fungal disease that most often develops with increased soil and air humidity. Another name for the pathology is brown spot. The main symptom of the disease is a change in the color of the foliage. Beige light spots with a clear yellowish-green border appear on the fleshy parts of the plant.
The lesions are uneven and irregular in shape. Sometimes small black dots can be seen.
Presence of pests
Partial or complete death of a plant can be caused not only by fungi or infections, but also by parasites.
Scale insect
The scale insect looks like a round insect of a reddish-brown color. Its size does not exceed 5 mm. The insect is sedentary. It has a strong shell, which makes it difficult to fight it. With active reproduction of the scale insect, the plant begins to die. The leaves of the flower lose their rich color, bend down, then dry out and fall off. On the back of the plates, you can see a white slimy mass.
.jpg)
Spider mite
The spider mite looks like a small yellowish-green insect. Its length does not exceed 0.5 mm, so it can only be seen in the later stages. Parasites feed on the plant's juice, thereby depriving it of nutrients. With a small infestation, the growth of dracaena slows down, its resistance to other infections and fungi worsens.
In case of severe infection, white spots appear on the back of the plates. Small formations resembling a web can be seen. They cover the foci of infection. In the absence of help and the spread of parasites, yellowness occurs, and later the damaged areas turn black.
Aphid
Aphids are small insects that feed on plant juice. They prefer to settle on the upper part of the dracaena, and can gather on the back of the plates. Due to a lack of nutrients and damage, the leaves begin to curl into a tube, then lose their bright color, turn yellow and fall off.
Mealybug
Mealybugs are easy to spot but difficult to remove. They are large insects, up to 1 cm long. It is easy to tell a male from a female: the latter looks like a fly or a mosquito. Males do not have mouthparts, so they cannot harm the plant. Female mealybugs have an oval-shaped body, covered with a light powdery wax. Females have many legs and long (thread-like) antennae.
The mealybug feeds on the plant's cell sap. This deprives the dracaena of nutrients. At the initial stages of infection, the flower's growth slows down, and later stops. During its life cycle, the mealybug secretes honeydew, which is a sticky, sweetish liquid. It is a favorable environment for the development of bacteria and fungi. For this reason, infection with the parasite is often accompanied by the appearance of other diseases. The mealybug is dangerous for all plants: it can move to other bushes located nearby.
Other reasons
Dracaena may start to turn yellow due to improperly selected soil. Not only mixtures for other plants are dangerous, but also outdoor soil, which may contain pests. It is recommended to purchase special soil for dracaena to avoid yellowing of the leaves.
Problems with the plates may arise when exposed to low temperatures. Frozen leaves are quickly washed with warm water to prevent rot.
Treatment methods
If care is improper at the initial stage, it is enough to improve the conditions of the plant. This will not help to revive already dead areas, but will save slightly yellowed leaves.
If the spots have spread or the plant has become infected with fungus, replant:
- The plant is carefully removed from the pot. If the roots have grown into the surface, the container is carefully broken.
- The leaves and roots are sorted, damaged and damp parts are removed. The plant is lightly washed.
- While it dries, the new soil is disinfected and processed in the oven. It is recommended to add some fungicides. They are used 3 more times: after 7-10 days, then on the 15th and 20th day. It is advisable to use different preparations in case the fungi are insensitive to some agents.
- If the plant is infested with parasites, most of them are removed manually using a cotton swab. It is first soaked in a soap solution.
- They are treated with an insecticidal acaricidal preparation.
If all the roots die, the plant's chances of survival are low. To save the dracaena, cut off the living top and root it in the ground or put it in a container with water. This helps the plant get a new root system.
Preventive measures
In order to prevent yellowing of leaves, it is necessary to provide the plant with proper care.
To do this, follow these recommendations:
- Maintain humidity levels at 80%. If they drop below that, leave a small container of water next to the pot and mist more often.
- Provide proper lighting. It should be diffused. The plant should not be exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.
- Maintain the air temperature within +20…+25 °C. At +18 °C, the dracaena becomes uncomfortable, at +16 °C it can get frostbite. High temperatures can cause dehydration or burns.
- Remove dead leaves regularly. They can become a breeding ground for parasites and bacteria, and also partially deprive the dracaena of air circulation and light.
- Water the flower correctly. Add water only when the top layer of soil at least 1 cm deep dries out.
- Fertilize dracaena in a timely manner. It is recommended to apply fertilizers containing calcium and nitrogen 3 times per season.
- Treat the plant when replanting. Use insecticides and fungicides for prevention.
Florists additionally treat dracaena with fungicides at the end of each summer to avoid fungal infection. It is advisable to regularly inspect the leaves, including the back side. This will help to notice parasites or spores in a timely manner. The plant is easier to cure in the early stages of the disease.
