Leopard plant: Diseases and Remedies (Farfugium japonicum)

NOTE: Leopard plant may be referred to as Farfugium japonicum in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Farfugium japonicum is the botanical name for Leopard plant.

One of the two species in the Farfugium genera is the leopard plant. The tractor seat plant has yellow flowers and large leaves. The species is native to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan and can be found along the coast, streams, and riverbeds. The golden flowers emerge from the modified leaves.

Why does my Farfugium japonicum roots have rot?

Root rot on your Leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum) 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.
Leopard

Why does my Leopard plant have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.

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 Farfugium japonicum. 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 Leopard plant have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Leopard plant owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Leopard plant 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.

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 Farfugium japonicum 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.
  • The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
  • Potassium deficiency shows itself when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green. Older leaves show symptoms first, and leaf edges soon turn brown.
  • A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.

Our Solution

You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.

Is my Leopard plant sunburned?

It is simple to determine whether your Leopard plant (your Farfugium japonicum) 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 Leopard plant 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 Leopard plant 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 Farfugium japonicum in direct sunlight?

No! If your Farfugium japonicum (or Leopard plant) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Leopard plant is in such a state!

Our Solution

The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Leopard plant out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.

Why are my Farfugium japonicum 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

An easy way to know if your Farfugium japonicum is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need 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 Leopard plant 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 Farfugium japonicum

Water Occasionally

Water is essential to the survival of your plant, however, it is important to balance the rate of watering. As we explained above, overwatering could have fatal consequences for your Farfugium japonicum.

Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It’s also a good idea to keep your Farfugium japonicum at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Farfugium japonicum away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Leopard plant 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.

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

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 tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.

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!).