NOTE: The terms Poison oak and Toxicodendron diversilobum are identical in this text; in reality, Toxicodendron diversilobum is Poison oak’s biological word.
The shrub Poison oak is a low-growing shrub. Even in the winter when the shrub has no leaves, its stems and leaves contain urushiol, a natural oil that can cause a severe skin rash.
Why does my Toxicodendron diversilobum roots have rot?
If left untreated, root rot on your Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) 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 Poison oak 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 Toxicodendron diversilobum. 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 Poison oak have leaf spots?
This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Poison oak 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 Poison oak 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.
When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:
Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Toxicodendron diversilobum in question, here’s how to spot them:
- 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 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.
- 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 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 Poison oak sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Poison oak (your Toxicodendron diversilobum) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
The leaves of your Poison oak 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 Poison oak leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Toxicodendron diversilobum in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Toxicodendron diversilobum (or Poison oak) 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 Poison oak 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 Toxicodendron diversilobum leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Toxicodendron diversilobum lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
An easy way to know if your Toxicodendron diversilobum 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 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 Poison oak 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 Toxicodendron diversilobum
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 Toxicodendron diversilobum.
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 Toxicodendron diversilobum 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 Toxicodendron diversilobum close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Poison oak 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 Poison oak.
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 need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)
