NOTE: Prairie smoke may be referred to as Geum triflorum in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Geum triflorum is the botanical name for Prairie smoke.
Prairie smoke adds interest to a garden bed from early spring through to fall. The perennial wildflower is native to North American prairies. The name comes from the achenes that develop during the summer. They created an impression of puffs of smoke with their shades. They stay on the plant for several weeks.
The small, pink, bud-like flowers add a splash of color to the garden in the spring, even though they are not as impressive as the achenes. During the fall, the foliage becomes purple, reddish, and orange and then becomes a burgundy shade in the winter.
Why does my Geum triflorum roots have rot?
Root rot on your Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) 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.
Why does my Prairie smoke have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.
Our Solution
The answer is obvious once you recognize the cause of the problem. Most frequently, it results from the Geum triflorum 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 Prairie smoke have leaf spots?
This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Prairie smoke 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 Prairie smoke leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.
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 Geum triflorum 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.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely 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 Prairie smoke sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Prairie smoke (your Geum triflorum) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, the leaves of your Prairie smoke 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 Prairie smoke leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Prairie smoke 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 Geum triflorum in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Geum triflorum (or Prairie smoke) 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 Prairie smoke 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 Geum triflorum 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.
Whether your Geum triflorum 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 Prairie smoke after a dry period in the belief that it requires 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 Geum triflorum
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 Geum triflorum.
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
It’s also a good idea to keep your Geum triflorum 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 Geum triflorum away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Prairie smoke Dust-Free
This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.
For your Prairie smoke, 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 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.
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!)
