Earth Star problems & how to fix them
Cryptanthus bivittatus
Drooping, yellowing, brown tips, or a plant that just won’t thrive? Here are the most common Earth Star problems, what usually causes them, and how to turn things around.
Common problems
Root rot
Its small root system rots in a large pot of wet soil. A fungal or bacterial infection of the roots, almost always triggered by soil staying wet too long. Caught early, most plants recover within a few weeks after repotting; if most roots are already mushy, recovery is uncertain.
Phytophthora root rot on a dug-up root ball
Photo: Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Crispy tips (low humidity)
Dry household air browns the decorative leaf tips first. Brown, dry leaf tips caused by air that is too dry for the plant, common in heated or air-conditioned rooms. Existing crispy tips never turn green again, but with higher humidity new growth should come in clean within a few weeks.
Sunburn
Harsh direct sun bleaches the colorful stripes. Leaf tissue scorched by more direct sun than the plant was acclimated to, often after moving it to a brighter spot or outdoors. Burned patches are permanent, but the plant itself usually recovers fully once moved - new growth comes in healthy.
a sunburnt rubber plant leaf, bleached and browned where the sun hit
Photo: Secretlondon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Mealybugs
They tuck into the tight base of the rosette. Slow-moving sap-sucking insects that look like bits of white cotton stuck in leaf joints. They are stubborn but very treatable with repeated spot treatment; expect steady improvement over 3-4 weeks.
a long-tailed mealybug on a leaf
Photo: D-Kuru · CC BY-SA 3.0 at · Wikimedia Commons
The mistakes that most often kill it
- Overpotting into a big container that stays wet for weeks.
- Bone-dry heated air with no humidity all winter.
- Discarding the plant when the old rosette fades instead of saving its pups.
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