Anthurium: diseases | Gardening included
Having Anthuriums in your home is becoming easier and easier as they are plants commonly found in shops and flower shops, and due to their showiness, many are made from them. However, diseases can take their toll on Anthurium to the point of death.
Since we don’t want this to happen to you, we’ll be more practical today and then talk about it each of the diseases affecting this plant and we’ll give you tips on how to avoid them and, if you catch them, how to deal with them. So read on.
Red spider
La Red Spider This is one of the Anthurium diseases that we must be careful about. It is actually a pest and these spiders are often not apparent to the naked eye because – if you didn’t know – they are very, very tiny (0.5 millimeters).
You will notice what causes them, which in this case will cause them leaves and flowers curl and begin to parched inevitably, until they finally fall off.
To fix it, you can spray the plant with a tiny amount of water because spiders don’t like it at all. Another option is to place it in a cooler and shadier place, but here it will depend on the needs of the Anthurium.
bacterial plague
This strange name refers to a disease caused by a bacterium called Xantomonas campestris. What is this little guy doing? Then attacks the plant from the inside, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. Something similar to what cholesterol does in our body. This is how it behaves.
You will physically see that your plant’s leaves will begin to fall off without treatment. So, to avoid this, experts recommend placing it in one of the parts of the house with the best sunlight (always indirect) and avoiding places where there is as much air and moisture circulation as possible.
The next thing you need to do is remove the leaves to prevent the spread of the diseasebut it is not worth applying any chemicals to it.
root rot
Another of the most common Anthurium diseases is root rot, which is caused by the appearance of bacteria Erwin carotovor. It eats part of the roots and the base of the stem, causing very little damage at first (until it is almost too slow).
The truth is that the plant will be destroyed very quickly and there is a sign that will alert you to this problem: the unpleasant odor it will emit. Also, it will start to darken, and when this happens, there isn’t much of a solution (remember, the roots are the most significant part of the plants).
Rot
Now that we’ve talked about root rot, it’s also worth considering root rot, which is another Anthurium disease to consider. Is produced by a fungus that can stay on the plant for years without doing anything. Until it is activated.
This causes the fungus to feed on the plant as it deteriorates, causing it to wilt and parched out almost hopelessly. Why? Well, because it is the fungus that receives all the nutrients and also feeds on the plant’s energy.
To fix this you can try replace the soil with another good quality one. However, since the fungus is not easily apparent to the naked eye, this can be complex to achieve.
xanthomonas
Although we have talked about a specific bacterium before, in this case the disease is more general and will be physically apparent on the leaves and spathes. What does it produce? What spots appear, first yellow, then brown. They start especially at the edge and gradually attack the entire sheet, causing inevitable death. Not only that, but eventually the stems also get damaged.
To remedy this, it is significant not to water it too much, and above all, not to humid the flowers or leaves, and to support it with nitrogen-rich fertilizers, as they aid fight this disease.
Ralstonia solanacearum
This strange name refers to one of the common problems that arise in Anthurium: this the leaves turn yellow and become thinner. The exact term referring to this phenomenon is chlorosis, but the truth is that this is only the first step for this bacterium, because once the leaves (whole or gigantic parts) are attacked, the next thing is to enter the vascular system, that is, when all the leaves and the stems turn brown.
If he gets there, then yes it is complex to save the plant because it will be digested inside.
mosaic virus
Have you ever looked at the leaves of your Anthurium and seen it as? tiny yellow or much lighter green spots scattered throughout the leaves? You may not have paid much attention to it, but over time these little spots will become more and more apparent, turn brown, then turn black and cover more of the leaf.
We regret to inform you that this is one of the Anthurium diseases that, in addition to being common, occurs caused by a virus and for which there is no cure.
You can try it, if you only see one or two leaves, cut them off and see if they appear on the remaining leaves. This way you can expect that it can be spread not only by your Anthurium, but also by other plants that you have nearby or that may rub against and affect each other.
Anthracnose
Although this name may bring to mind a “spider”, it is actually a mushroom, the so-called Colletotrichum gloeospororoides. This will cause your Anthurium to lose its flowers if you don’t catch it in time.
Firstly, the flowers will have a tiny brown spot on the spadix. As it gets humid, the spots will grow and it will appear that this part is very humid. At the same time, the leaves will begin to become sticky and orange spores will appear on brown spots.
Solution? give him fungicide before it’s too slow.
As you can see, in addition to pests, there are many Anthurium diseases to consider. Knowing them often gives you the power to fix them before you lose the plant. Has this ever happened to you? How did you behave?