False aralia: Diseases and Remedies (Explained for Beginners)

NOTE: In this article, False aralia and Plerandra elegantissima may be used interchangeably; in fact, Plerandra elegantissima is the botanical name for False aralia.

An immensely popular houseplant, false aralia (Plerandra elegantissima), has beautifully textured foliage with deeply serrated leaflets that start out a copper or burgundy shade and eventually deepen to a rich green. The foliage of the juvenile plants is more textured than the leaves of the adult plants.

The plant can grow up to 6 feet, but it is a slow-growing variety. For several years, it stays at a manageable size. If your home isn’t too dry, false aralia can be grown outside in USDA zones 10 through 12 or as a houseplant.

Why does my Plerandra elegantissima roots have rot?

Root rot on your False aralia (Plerandra elegantissima) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
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Why does my False aralia 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

When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Plerandra elegantissima being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my False aralia have leaf spots?

Leaf If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of False aralia, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.

Why are my False aralia 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.

When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Plerandra elegantissima 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.
  • Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
  • Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
  • Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
  • 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 False aralia sunburned?

It is quite easy to find out if your False aralia (Plerandra elegantissima) has been burned by the sun. Just like on us, your plant will change color in this case, it will start to turn yellow or white.

Sunburned

As we saw above, the leaves of your False aralia can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.

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 False aralia leaves turning brown?

Most of the time, leaves of a False aralia that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.

Should I leave my Plerandra elegantissima in direct sunlight?

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

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your False aralia in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Plerandra elegantissima leaves drooping or wilting ?

When you become dehydrated, this usually happens. Large plants are more vulnerable since they need more water on a regular basis than smaller plants.

Drooping

You may quickly determine if your Plerandra elegantissima 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 False aralia right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Plerandra elegantissima

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 Plerandra elegantissima.

You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Plerandra elegantissima is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Plerandra elegantissima close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your False aralia Dust-Free

This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.

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

To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances 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.