NOTE: In this article, Ming aralia and Polyscias fruticosa may be used interchangeably; in fact, Polyscias fruticosa is the botanical name for Ming aralia.
A houseplant native to the tropics of India and Polynesia, Ming aralia is also known as an evergreen shrub. It is a bit more difficult to grow than your average plant, but it is worth the effort for its bright green foliage.
Why does my Polyscias fruticosa roots have rot?
If left untreated, root rot on your Ming aralia (Polyscias fruticosa) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Why does my Ming aralia 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 solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Polyscias fruticosa. 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 Ming aralia have leaf spots?
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 Ming aralia owners.
Why are my Ming aralia 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 indicators of yellowing on the Polyscias fruticosa brought on by its numerous flaws:
- 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.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- 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.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
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 Ming aralia sunburned?
It is simple to determine whether your Ming aralia (your Polyscias fruticosa) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your Ming aralia receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.
Why are my Ming aralia leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Ming 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 Polyscias fruticosa in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Polyscias fruticosa (or Ming aralia) 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 Ming aralia 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 Polyscias fruticosa leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Polyscias fruticosa lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
You may quickly determine if your Polyscias fruticosa 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 your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Ming aralia right after a dry period thinking that 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 Polyscias fruticosa
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 Polyscias fruticosa.
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 Polyscias fruticosa 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 Polyscias fruticosa close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Ming aralia 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.
For your Ming aralia, 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.
