Gold dust: Diseases and Remedies (Explained for Everyone)

NOTE: Gold dust may be referred to as Aucuba japonica in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Aucuba japonica is the botanical name for Gold dust.

The gold dust plant is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that was native to Japan. The gold dust plant is sometimes referred to as the spotted laurel or Japanese laurel. The leathery dark green leaves have splashes of yellow and gold on them. Its green leaves are glossy and elliptical with coarse marginal teeth on the upper half of each leaf.

This is a very slow grower that can take a long time to reach maturity, but it is a worthwhile specimen that adds gold to a shady area. After the average last frost date in your area, plant this shrub outdoors in the late spring or early summer.

Why does my Aucuba japonica roots have rot?

Root rot on your Gold dust (Aucuba japonica) 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.
Gold

Why does my Gold dust have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus known as gray mold spots spreads quickly and frequently damages flowers. This fungus is probably to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. If you disregard these warning signs, your plant could die.

Our Solution

The answer is obvious once you recognize the cause of the problem. Most frequently, it results from the Aucuba japonica being overwatered. We strongly advise you to remove the damaged plant parts, cut off the diseased roots and leaves, and then repot your plant in a new container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Gold dust 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 Gold dust owners.

Why are my Gold dust leaves turning yellow?

This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.

Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Aucuba japonica in question:

  • The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf 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.
  • 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

According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.

Is my Gold dust sunburned?

It is simple to determine whether your Gold dust (your Aucuba japonica) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

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

To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.

Why are my Gold dust leaves turning brown?

Most of the time, leaves of a Gold dust 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 Aucuba japonica in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Aucuba japonica (or Gold dust) 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 Gold dust 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 Aucuba japonica leaves drooping or wilting ?

In most cases, this happens when your Aucuba japonica lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.

Drooping

Whether your Aucuba japonica plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.

Our Solution

In order to ensure that the roots of your plant receive the water’s benefits, you must first moisten the soil in the container if it is absolutely dry. One common error is to immediately drown the Gold dust after a dry period in the belief that it requires 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 Aucuba japonica

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 Aucuba japonica.

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

Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Aucuba japonica 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 Aucuba japonica close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Gold dust Dust-Free

This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.

This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Gold dust.

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.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).