NOTE: Rainbow bitterroot may be referred to as Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ is the botanical name for Rainbow bitterroot.
If you are able to provide the right conditions for it, Rainbow Lewisia is a great addition to the yard. Gardeners in the eastern United States may wish to grow this perennial as a novelty because of its attractive flowers and foliage. It is in the purslane family, as is the weed, common purslane, and the annual popular as a bedding plant in dry areas, moss rose.
Why does my Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ roots have rot?
Root rot on your Rainbow bitterroot (Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’) 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.
Why does my Rainbow bitterroot 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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ 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 Rainbow bitterroot have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Rainbow bitterroot, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Rainbow bitterroot 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:
Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ in question, here’s how to spot them:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn 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 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 Rainbow bitterroot sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Rainbow bitterroot (your Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’) 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 Rainbow bitterroot can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.
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 Rainbow bitterroot 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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ (or Rainbow bitterroot) 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 Rainbow bitterroot 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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
You may quickly determine if your Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ 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 Rainbow bitterroot right after a dry period thinking that it needs 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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ 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 Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’ away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Rainbow bitterroot 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 be a true journey into hell for your Rainbow bitterroot and would also satisfy the pests.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as 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.
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!)
