Among the abundance indoor flowers special attention deserves dracaena. She has a sophisticated look and is not particularly demanding to care for. Despite this, difficulties often arise in the process of growing false palm trees. One of the common problems that gardeners face is that dracaena leaves turn yellow and begin to fall off. It is extremely important to immediately identify the cause of such changes in order to take appropriate measures to save the flower.
Care errors
Most often, dracaena leaves turn yellow and dry as a result of non-compliance with the rules of caring for the plant. We need to figure out what exactly led to such changes. Otherwise, there is a risk of death of the palm tree. There are factors leading to deterioration of the plant's condition. a large number of.
Natural causes
Dracaena often loses its leaves lower leaves due to natural changes. The lifespan of each leaf plate is about two years. After this time, it begins to die off. As a rule, such changes are observed in the lower tier. At the top there are green leaves. The top of the head looks absolutely healthy.
The solution to the problem is simple. You just need to remove the parts that have lost their aesthetic appearance.
Watering errors
If the leaves of a flower droop and dry, such changes may indicate excess moisture in the soil. The substrate simply does not have time to dry out due to excessive watering. Growing indoor dracaena at home will not be successful. There is a risk of palm tree death.
If excess moisture leads to such problems, the trunk becomes soft. It is necessary to resort to drastic measures:
- Remove the plant from the pot.
- Look carefully at the root system.
- Remove rotting parts and dry healthy ones.
- Place the flower in a new substrate.
- Compact the soil to eliminate voids.
The leaves turn yellow and the trunk dries out in dracaena even with insufficient watering. She can't get it from the soil nutrients as a result of the soil drying out excessively. Therefore, it is extremely important to moisten the soil systematically, giving it the opportunity to dry out a little.
Failure to comply with temperature and humidity standards
A common reason why the ends of dracaena leaves dry out is the wrong location of the flowerpot. Although the plant comes from Africa, it is sensitive to dry air. It is strictly forbidden to place the container with it near heating devices. Due to this, dracaena sheds its leaves.
The air temperature should be between 18-25 degrees. Excessive cooling negatively affects the condition of the flower. Therefore, low temperatures and drafts must be avoided. You should also take care of the proper level of humidity in the room. It is recommended to spray and wipe the foliage with a damp sponge.
Water procedures have a beneficial effect on the condition of the palm tree, but you need to ensure that no liquid remains between the leaf plates. As a result of this, the dracaena also turns yellow. When giving the plant a warm shower, it is necessary to cover the soil with a film to avoid excessive moisture.
Sunburn
Yellow spots on a palm tree these are burns. Their appearance is due to the fact that the plant is placed in direct sunlight. Take the flower pot out onto the loggia or balcony summer period It’s possible, but it definitely needs to be shaded. When exposed to excessively bright light, the tips of the dracaena leaves dry out and become pale in color.
Lack of nutrition
When there is a lack of nutrients, the foliage begins to curl or even fall off. In addition, the plant’s development stops. Therefore, it is so important to apply fertilizers in a timely manner.
Excess fertilizer also has a negative effect on the condition of the palm tree. Most often, such changes are observed with excessive amounts of minerals.
In this case, you should purchase a balanced substrate and update the soil in the flowerpot. It is unacceptable to use heavy, dense soil - it must be loosened regularly. Thus, the earth is saturated with oxygen and the condition of the palm tree improves.
In cases where dracaena grows in one flowerpot for a long period, it must be replanted. A large amount of salts accumulate in the substrate, which prevent the penetration useful substances to the flower.
Diseases and pests
Dracaena often dries out due to the development of diseases. One of the common problems is a bacterial infection. Such changes are observed when creating unfavorable conditions for a plant:
- excessive humidity in the room;
- abundant watering;
- deficiency of nutrients;
- placing the plant in an alkaline substrate.
First aid measures
Having found out the exact reason why the leaves of the palm tree have fallen, you need to take measures aimed at resuscitating the plant:
Yellowing of dracaena foliage is a fairly common problem, but in most cases it can be solved. The main thing is to immediately find out what led to such changes. Only after this can you begin to take decisive action. The main task is to eliminate the factor that aggravates the condition of the palm tree. Only in this way will it be possible to achieve a positive result and save the flower from death.
The leaves of dracaena, like any other plant, gradually turn yellow and fall off: a natural renewal process occurs. With proper care and successful placement of dracaena, the leaves on it live for 2 years, then gradually die off. By virtue of external reasons they may turn yellow earlier. In this case, you should find out the reason and provide the plant with everything necessary for existence, otherwise the indoor plant will die. You can save dracaena at home if you follow all the recommendations.
- the bark wrinkles;
- the trunk becomes inelastic;
- 2-8 leaves fall per week.
- falling of green leaves;
- rolling leaves into a tube;
- excessive softness of leaves.
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Excessive or insufficient watering
The main thing in caring for dracaena is not to overwater it. This is easy to control: you need to make sure that the soil in the pot has time to dry out between waterings. On average, in winter the plant is watered 2 times a month, and in summer - 4.
For irrigation, use only pre-settled water at room temperature.
You cannot pour too much water: the root system will begin to rot, the dracaena will not be able to receive enough nutrients from the soil and will begin to shed its leaves. Additional symptoms overwatering:
If this happens, then you urgently need to inspect the roots, trim the damaged ones, and transplant the plant itself to another soil. After transplanting, be sure to water the flower. If the roots are dry, you need to follow the same steps.
When the root system has completely rotted, only cuttings will help.
Dry indoor air
Dracaena - tropical plant, so she needs the air humidity in the room to be at least 60%. If this condition is not met, then the leaves look lifeless and turn yellow. To provide comfort to the plant, it is necessary to spray it with a spray bottle 2 times a week. For these purposes, only settled water should be used.
Additionally, dracaena can be doused with water from the shower, but the leaf axils must be drained after each procedure to avoid stagnation of liquid and subsequent rotting.
To maintain moisture for a long time, the pot can be placed in damp gravel. A humidifier in the room with the plant will not be superfluous either.
Poor location
If the leaves of the dracaena turn yellow, it is possible that the location for the pot with the plant was chosen incorrectly. The two most common problems that are associated with the place - draft and straight Sun rays. In the first case, the upper leaves, which receive the most rays, will turn yellow and dry out; in the second case, spots form on them.
To avoid this, the pot with dracaena should be placed in a warm place with diffused light, protected from direct sun and drafts. In winter, it is worth additionally lighting the flower.
If during the cold season the pot is placed on a windowsill, it is recommended to check whether the window frames are ventilated.
High or low air temperature
To make the dracaena comfortable, the room temperature must be maintained at 18-25 degrees. At temperatures below 16 degrees, the plant will freeze and may die, as the soil will lose moisture abundantly. Additional signs that the room is too cold include:
In this case, the plant must be sprayed with warm, settled water from a spray bottle or moved to another place.
Incorrect feeding regime
When dracaena is actively growing, it must be provided with nitrogen. If there is not enough of it, the leaves turn pale and yellow.
In order for the plant to develop harmoniously, it needs special nutrient mixtures with a high nitrogen content. It is recommended to feed dracaena with such compositions throughout spring-summer period. In any flower shop You can find a wide range of suitable fertilizers.
You should not allow excess feeding: if you exceed the dose, the dracaena will lose resistance to fungal diseases.
Another fertilizer option is specialized sticks. Using them, you can forget about the plant’s need for feeding for a long time: just place the sticks vertically in the pot.
In winter, it is enough to feed dracaena about once a month, because its growth is slow and it does not need additional stimulation.
The appearance of pests
Pests can be caused by contaminated soil or contact with an infected plant. They deprive the leaves of the flower of juices, as a result of which they turn yellow. To detect the pest, you need to pick a leaf from the plant and carefully examine it using a magnifying glass. If the leaf is infected, then it may have cobwebs, white or brown dots, “flour”, and discharge that is sticky to the touch.
It is necessary to immediately remove the yellow leaves from the plant and wash the dracaena with soapy water. After this, the flower should be treated with an insecticide intended for a specific disease and washed again with a soapy solution.
Shchitovka
Brown spots and yellowed leaves indicate that the dracaena is affected by scale insects. Actellik or Forbecid will help you quickly deal with it.
Trips
The gray-brown tint of the leaves indicates that thrips have settled on them. To destroy them, means such as Actellik and Decis are suitable.
Spider mite
Symptoms of appearance spider mite- yellow leaves with white spots. To combat it, soapy water is enough, but in case of severe lesions, it is worth additionally using Acaricide.
When the tips of dracaena leaves dry out, not everyone knows what to do about it. Many gardeners very often encounter this problem and find themselves at a loss when looking for a way to save the plant.
And it’s worth it, because dracaena is a very elegant indoor plant that not only helps purify the air in the room, but is also a wonderful addition to the interior.
What are the reasons?
At the moment when you start this flower, you should be well aware that the leaves of the plant grow mainly on the top of the head, and each leaf lives no more than 1-2 years. It follows from this that the gradual drying of the tips of the lower leaves and their further shedding is the norm and a natural process of the development of dracaena. The drying tips of the upper leaves are dangerous. In this case, it is necessary to find out as quickly as possible the reason for the drying out of indoor dracaena. The main factor in this state of the flower is Not proper care followed by non-compliance with all the rules. The plant perfectly feels that it has to survive in such unfavorable conditions for it, and therefore withers on its own.
If you are still interested in the answer to the question why the tips of dracaena leaves dry out, then you should first of all pay special attention to the level of moisture in the soil in the pot, lighting and carefully monitor compliance with the watering regime. This is a tropical plant that requires high humidity air. The plant grows and develops best at levels of 70 to 80%.
If the air in the room is much drier, which often happens in our apartments and houses, then you need to purchase a special air humidifier, or spray the indoor beauty as often as possible from a spray bottle with a small sprayer. During the summer, this procedure must be carried out every day. In winter, daily spraying is not necessary; it is enough to do the process every 2-3 days. If the plant is located very close to the battery central heating, then you need to place a wet towel on the radiator. As the moisture evaporates from it, the plant will also become moisturized. Make sure that after spraying there is no residue left in the axils of the leaves. excess moisture, as this contributes to the rotting of the flower.
You need to water the dracaena when the top 3 cm of soil has dried out. It is clear that in the summer this procedure will occur much more often than in the winter. If the leaves of dracaena turn yellow, this may indicate that the plant simply does not have enough moisture.
If the leaves of the dracaena turn yellow and dry, you need to remember that this plant is constantly reaching for sunlight, and if there is a lack of it, the flower will simply begin to gradually die. This especially applies to flowers with bright leaves, which are often placed on the windowsill closer to the sun. Doing this is strictly prohibited, especially from the south side. For the location of the flower, it is better to choose western or east side. If there is no other option but to place the plant on the south side, then in this case it will need to be moved away from the window at a distance of at least 1 m. It is imperative that the light be diffused, since direct exposure to sunlight contributes not only to yellowing, but also to complete falling off leaves.
What else influences?
If dracaena leaves turn yellow, then drafts and cold can influence this course of events. The plant feels great if the room temperature is at least +18°C. And it’s not surprising why the leaves of the plant turn yellow.
If the air temperature does not reach the desired level, the leaves even dry out, and the plant loses its ability to grow young, fresh greenery. The growth of dracaena at this moment slows down or stops completely. Even a small draft from a window can cause discomfort. The most the best place for the location of this flower - a fairly quiet and secluded corner where cool air does not enter.
In order for your beauty to grow well and have abundant foliage, it is necessary to periodically replant it in a completely new substrate. If your plant begins to suffer, its leaves turn yellow and then completely fall off, this indicates that it is time to replant it in new pot with different soil. Most often, a plant that has been in the same pot with the same soil for more than 3 years often gets sick and grows very poorly. The thing is that old soil contains a large amount of salts, which hinder the supply of necessary nutrients.
This indoor beauty is capable of reproducing from its apical part or small parts of the stem. An interesting fact is that the stems take root very well. To propagate an indoor palm tree, you need to cut off the top of the plant, about 10 cm long, and place it in a special container filled with water and with small pieces of activated carbon. After some time, the existing stem sprouts roots, after which the plant takes root in a special soil mixture.
In order to propagate a plant by stem, it should be cut into 6 cm cuttings and placed in sufficiently damp sand to a depth of no more than 2 cm. In order for the seedlings to take root, it is necessary to comply with all greenhouse conditions. The plant will take root faster and grow stronger at an air temperature of +23-24°C.
Diseases
Despite the fact that the plant is not particularly demanding, failure to follow basic care recommendations can lead not only to drying out and falling of the leaves, but also to its complete loss. But if you take proper care, carefully and carefully monitor the flower, but it still fades right before your eyes, then the reason for this may be some infectious diseases or pests.
Despite the fact that the plant’s immunity is not weak, it can also catch some infectious diseases. Such diseases include:
- Alternaria blight. With this disease, concentric spots of light brown color can be observed on the leaves of the plant. External signs The disease is the appearance of lightish spots on the stem, as well as the leaves themselves. Over time, they can acquire a darker shade and even black. In order to prevent the plant from dying, it is necessary to spray it with a fungicide. This drug contains copper, which helps save the plant. Spraying should occur three times a month at a certain time interval.
- Heterosporiasis. Unlike the previous disease, somewhat elongated spots with a red border appear on the plant. The treatment procedures are exactly the same as for Alternaria.
- Phyllosticosis. Most often, with such an unpleasant infectious disease, light brown spots with a yellow edge begin to appear on the foliage of the lower tiers. These spots are quite large. In order to prevent complete loss of dracaena, it should be sprayed with a fungicide, but in case of this disease, you must follow the instructions strictly.
- Bacteriosis. Yes, such a bacterial infection is observed even in plants. Rotting spots begin to form at the tips of the foliage, having brown tint. In addition, the disease can manifest itself on the leaf blades in the form of some sores that have a more rounded shape. The main factors that pose a risk of developing the disease are high humidity and enough heat air in the room where the plant is located. If the dracaena has already contracted such a disease, it will not be possible to save it; it is better to destroy it immediately to prevent infection of other plants.
Pests
As mentioned above, a great danger to dracaena can be posed not only by infectious diseases and improper care, but also by pests that have infested in pots. Considering that indoor plants are located quite close to each other, it is likely that the parasites are localized in all pots, and the means of control are the same for all flowers, regardless of the species.
Returning from vacation, I noticed that my beautiful dracaena leaves had become dry at the ends. Tell me why the tips of dracaena leaves dry out? Is it possible to somehow improve the situation?
A healthy dracaena, which is kept in comfortable conditions and which is properly cared for, has long leaves that have a rich dark green color, uniform along their entire length. If dry yellow areas at the ends suddenly appear on the leaf blades, you should immediately take measures so as not to lose the plant. To do this, you first need to establish the cause of this phenomenon, and only then correct errors in care or other factors that led to the defeat.
The main reasons for drying out of the tips of leaves in dracaena are:
- insufficiently humid air in the room;
- violations in the flower watering regime;
- excess light;
- pest damage.
Low air humidity
Most often, drying of leaves occurs in winter, when radiators are running in the room. - comes from the humid tropics, so dry air is absolutely unacceptable for her. To increase humidity, the crown must be sprayed daily. In addition, you can place a glass of water next to the pot. By evaporating, it will help the dracaena survive the heating season. In the summer, you should spray the flower several times a day and regularly give it “shower treatments.”
If the lower leaves of a flower gradually and periodically (on average once every two years) dry out completely, there is no cause for concern. Thus, the plant simply gets rid of old foliage.
Watering problems
Despite the fact that dracaena loves humidity, this does not apply to the ground - it just needs to have time to dry out. Stagnant moisture is just as detrimental to a flower as dry air. It is enough to water the plant once a week, and the rest of the time - spray it on the leaf.
However, you cannot let the soil dry out completely - in this case, the leaves will not only dry out at the ends, but also become lethargic and gradually fall off.
Wrong place
The most optimal place for dracaena is away from sun-filled windows. Direct rays literally burn spots on the leaves, both at the tips and along the entire length of the leaf.
Some types of dracaena grow well even on northern windows. However, it is worth considering that varieties with variegated foliage still need more light than monochromatic plants.
Presence of pests
Dracaena leaves begin to dry from the tips, and then completely if they have settled on the bush
Dracaena attracts many gardeners. The false palm came to us from the tropics. She is completely unpretentious and does not require special attention. Dracaena responds gratefully to care. From time to time, flower growers are faced with the phenomenon of yellowed, drying tips of leaves. The question of why dracaena leaves turn yellow can make lovers panic indoor plants. Timely and proper care of the flower during this period will help restore all the beauty of the plant.
Dracaena is unpretentious, but sometimes its leaves may turn yellow
Causes of yellowing
Before you panic about the drying and yellowing tips of dracaena leaves, you need to understand the reasons for this phenomenon. It would seem that it does not require daily watering or fertilization, but problems also arise with such unpretentious, hardy and persistent plants. Remember that yellow or drying tips on the leaves of the plant indicate that you need to pay attention to the care conditions. Reasons for appearance yellow leaves on the false palm tree can be grouped into several groups:
- Plant age.
- Moisture.
- Temperature conditions.
- Errors in care.
- Pests and diseases.
Any of these reasons, with a competent approach, can be quickly eliminated, and the dracaena will again delight the eye with its green crown.
Age-related yellowing
Leaves may begin to turn yellow after reaching a certain age. Each dracaena leaf lives for approximately two years, so periodically the lower leaves of the palm tree begin to change color from green to yellow, gradually dry out and fall off. This process takes quite a long time.
IN in this case There are no threats to the plant. To prevent dried tips from spoiling the beauty of the palm tree, you can trim the yellowed part of the leaf.
Air humidity
Dracaena is unpretentious to living conditions, but this does not mean that there is no need to create favorable conditions for its development.
One of these conditions is the level of humidity in the room where the guest from the tropics is located. If the air that the plant breathes is very dry, then you can observe how the tips of the leaves begin to dry and then gradually fall off.
It's easy to get rid of this problem. Increase the humidity level in the room. The shower should be light; it is better to wipe the leaves with a soft cloth soaked in warm water. To increase humidity, you can place several vessels with water between the flowers.
Due to improper watering, a false palm tree can not only turn yellow, but even die.
Excessive moisture
Dracaena does not like excess moisture. Root system will begin to rot, and the leaves will first turn yellow and then turn black. To get rid of the problem of excessive watering, you need to remove the dracaena along with the earthen lump from the pot, dry the soil, remove any rotten roots, and plant the plant in another pot.
Lack of watering
Lack of moisture immediately affects the leaves of the palm tree. This may be one of the reasons why the tips of dracaena leaves dry out. It is recommended to water dracaena only when the soil in the pot is dry.
The soil of the palm tree should not be allowed to dry out completely. In this case, you need to adjust the plant’s watering regime.
Watering dracaena should be regular
Warmth and light
The plant loves light, but direct sunlight is unsafe. It must be taken into account that temperature regime and lighting are interconnected. The presence of dull and faded leaves, mostly at the crown, indicates that the plant is not receiving the correct amount of heat and sunlight. The palm tree should not be allowed to be in a very hot room with insufficient lighting.
Move it to a cooler, shaded area. Do not forget that dracaena also does not like very low temperatures.
Optimal values are from 18 °C to 25 °C. If such a regime cannot be created, then you need to reduce watering and prevent moisture from stagnating at the base of the stem.
Drafts
If the room has very high humidity, it should be ventilated periodically. At this time, the plant becomes defenseless against drafts. The appearance of lifeless foliage will be proof of this. Such leaves subsequently fall off.
Dracaena exposed to a draft can get sick
Improper care
Yellowed leaves may be due to the fact that the dracaena does not receive enough nutrients, or the pot in which it grows has become cramped.
Dracaena transplant
- During this period, a huge amount of salts accumulate in the soil.
- The amount of nutrients is significantly reduced.
- The palm tree ceases to receive the necessary nutrition.
- During this time, the root system increases and the pot becomes cramped.
If you do not replant in time, the dracaena leaves will first turn yellow and then begin to dry out.
Top dressing
The most important nutrient for dracaena is nitrogen. Its deficiency leads to disastrous consequences. First the leaves begin to turn yellow, then dry out.
To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to fertilize the plant with special preparations in a timely manner. You need to start fertilizing at the end of April. During this period, the plant enters the phase active growth. Any fertilizer must be applied strictly in accordance with the instructions. By the end of August, fertilizing must be stopped.
Pests and diseases
Yellowing and drying dracaena feathers may be the result of insect pests or the development of a bacterial infection.
Pests
The indoor palm tree is most susceptible to attacks:
- spider mite;
- scale insects;
- mealybug;
- thrips.
Thrips colonies appear as light spots on palm leaves. Barely noticeable yellow cobwebs and a fading appearance of the flower indicate that the dracaena is affected by spider mites.
To combat any of possible pests You can use a soap solution. Use a soft sponge soaked in this solution to wipe the leaves. If the lesions show signs of neglect, the manipulation of wiping the foliage should be repeated several times. In addition to soap solution, it is recommended to use insecticides.
Mealybug on dracaena
Diseases
The plant may be infected with bacterial infections that occur if:
- in the room where the dracaena is located, there is an increased level of humidity;
- the plant constantly receives excess moisture;
- the palm tree does not receive enough nutrients;
- When planting the flower, an inappropriate soil composition was used.
It is necessary to pay close attention to the plant, organize proper care and watering regime. Experienced flower growers It is recommended not to ignore signals in the form of yellowing and drying leaves and to take measures to eliminate problems that arise.