Astilbe: Diseases and Remedies (Save your Plant Now!)

NOTE: In this article, Astilbe and Astilbe spp. may be used interchangeably; in fact, Astilbe spp. is the botanical name for Astilbe.

Perennial flowers such as Astilbes are easy to grow. They have long-blooming flowers in soft shades of white, pink, purple, and red, and the flowers are held on tall, stiff stalks above the airy foliage. They are very easy to maintain and can light up the shade garden.

Why does my Astilbe spp. roots have rot?

Root rot on your Astilbe (Astilbe spp.) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Astilbe

Why does my Astilbe have gray mold spots?

Gray mold spots are a specific fungus that regularly harms flowers and spreads swiftly. If you notice any brown (or gray) spots, this fungus is probably to cause. You risk your plant dying if you ignore these warning indications.

Our Solution

The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Astilbe spp.. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.

Why does my Astilbe have leaf spots?

Leaf We provide you with all the information you need to identify and save your plants if they display signs like leaves that suddenly change color or wilt/droop. This sort of sickness is one of the most aggravating for Astilbe owners.

Why are my Astilbe leaves turning yellow?

In the world of horticulture, yellowing leaves are undoubtedly the most common problem. The two main causes of this problem are overwatering and a lack of nutrition.

Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Astilbe spp. in question:

  • Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
  • Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
  • Nitrogen deficiency shows up as a general yellowing. Older, inner leaves turn yellow first. As it progresses, yellowing moves outward, eventually reaching young leaves, too.

Our Solution

You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.

Is my Astilbe sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Astilbe (your Astilbe spp.) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

The leaves of your Astilbe can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.

The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.

Why are my Astilbe leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Astilbe spp. in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Astilbe spp. (or Astilbe) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Astilbe so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.

Why are my Astilbe spp. leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Astilbe spp. gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

You may quickly determine if your Astilbe spp. plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.

Our Solution

If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Astilbe right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Astilbe spp.

Water Occasionally

Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Astilbe spp..

The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Astilbe spp. at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Astilbe spp. near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your Astilbe Dust-Free

This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.

For your Astilbe, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.

Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you should be mindful of your drainage, and if they don’t already have them, we suggest selecting a saucer and a pot with drainage holes.

If your pots don’t already have holes in them, you can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the meantime. This will assist in creating a channel and keep the water from pooling there for an extended period of time, protecting the roots from decay.